The Legend of Zelda: The Clan Wars, Rise of Dethl
by Kerian Halcyon
Summary: Prologue to upcoming fanfic. Chaos was thought to be subdued when the Goddesses created the world, but when a dark monster begins to surface in the west, can a king overcome the odds and defeat it, or will he need some extra help in the form of a sword?
1. Prologue: Golden Goddesses

**The Legend of Zelda**

_The Clan Wars: Rise of Dethl_

Prologue: Creation of Hyrule

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**Disclaimer**: I do not own Legend of Zelda. This fanfic is purely non-profit and for entertainment purposes only. This fanfic contains plot resemblance/cliches to Samurai Jack: The Birth of Evil. I do not own the Samurai Jack franchies either. Both franchises belong to their rightful owners. This disclaimer remains in effect for the grand total of all five chapters of this story. Without further ado, read on...

-Kerian

* * *

_Darkness. That was all that there was in the beginning. Nothing but an endless void. Creation did not exist. Life did not exist. Nothing existed, and yet everything at the same time. Timeless, yet ancient. Dead, and yet living. Alive, and yet dying. Dark…an everlasting twilight. This was the void that was chaos._

_And then, something happened. Something happened that had never happened before. At first, it was a single speck in a distant horizon; a speck that soon formed into three specks of gold. For the first time, light descended upon chaos…and it first experienced hatred._

_In the darkness of the great void, the passage between paradise and this strange plane of existence, three great lights appeared. These lights began to take form, and steadily these forms grew bigger. They each began to take on definite shape, their bodies covered in a golden light. These golden beings steadily rocketed towards the shape that was chaos, and each trailed different colored lights of all the shades of three definite colors; red, blue, and green._

_These were Din, Nayru, and Farore…the Golden Goddesses. And they had come to bring Chaos to its knees._

_Chaos reacted to defend itself. Like a primordial beast, it attacked with all the fury of the ancient powers, never once attempting to give quarter as it struck. However, the Golden Goddesses were immune to its powers, and fought back with the strength of divinity, righteousness, and willpower. Power, Wisdom, and Courage combined as they attacked the primordial being._

_Blow after blow was spent as the two forces fought for control. For what seemed like an eternity, chaos struck back as best as it could. Tendrils of its own mass launched through the air and enveloped themselves around the Goddesses; constricting them and threatening to consume their divine powers. But the Goddesses were too strong for the beast. Every tendril that wrapped around the Goddesses clung for but a moment before it dissipated from their divine might. The three Goddesses struck back using their weapons of divine might; Din's flaming trident, Nayru's torrential bow, and Farore's glowing sword._

_Soon, chaos finally weakened. The Goddesses could not completely destroy it at the moment, and instead proceeded to trap the beast. Chaos fought back as best as it could as Din proceeded to encase it within the powerful might that was the land of the world. It broke through each piece that was thrown against it, but too much kept coming. Its own tendrils were trapped within the confines of the earth, and soon the darkness began to dissipate as the Goddesses proceeded with the next phase of their divine plan._

_It was in the final moment of defiance for chaos that Nayru struck. When the land was nigh completion, she launched upon the world her divine law. It was through her law that order would remain upon the world; an order where chaos could not exist. The law took physical form…the sky, the sun, and all that could be seen in the heavens. In that one blow, the chaos entrapped within the world collapsed, and its matter dissipated under the strength of the divine might. As it did, Din converted the bleeding remains of chaos into the core of the earth, and sealed the last of the land together in a mighty burst of energy, leaving behind only the deep chasms and the tremendous mountains as proof of the great battle that had ensued there._

_Farore's duty came last, but it was likely the most important. With her own divine powers, she created life upon the world; two of each creature, with seed creatures to ensure the creation of lesser animals and plants. She created them for one purpose: To uphold the law that was Nayru's Law; to live and to die according to the will that was created, and to someday take up their souls and return to the paradise that the Goddesses had planned. With the help of her two sisters, Farore created the Spirits; mighty, immortal and incarnate beings that could watch over the world and help guide the races and creatures there with their wisdom and intelligence._

_The last thing Farore did on this world was create the races. Two of many races was made by her hands; Hylians, Gorons, Bokoblins, Ooccas, Dekus, and many others; while other races were birthed by the Spirits themselves: The Forest Folk, who would eventually become the Kokiri and Skull Kids; the Zoras and Zolas, who were both races akin to one another and yet completely different at the same time; Humans and Sheikah, born of Hylian ancestry and both the natives of distant lands; and even the Lizalfos, who were birthed of the mountains and native to the mountains from whence they came. _

_When all was done, the Goddesses did one final act upon this world. Leaving it to its fate, they ascended into the sky from whence they came. The place where they passed through from the mortal plane to the next was created into a realm of destiny as in the energy they used to return was converted into a powerful object that they left behind; a relic of sacred destiny. This was the Triforce, the ultimate power, the Relic of the Gods. The Triforce had one purpose; to grant the wish of the one who touched its golden edge. If that person had a soul that was equal in power, wisdom, and courage, the land of Hyrule and the Sacred Realm beyond it would last an age of prosperity and love. But if one who was not in balance touched it, or if someone who had an evil heart tried to grasp the edges, the Triforce would split and embed itself into those selected by destiny, and the Sacred Realm would become a dark mirror of the land, forever a reflection of the dark heart that first touched the Golden Power._

_The Goddesses then left the world. So marked the end of the reign of Chaos…_

…_Or had chaos really ended?_

* * *

_-Valley of Stone, Golden Age_

In a valley, far to the west of Hyrule, herds of powerful creatures roamed freely in what could only be described as a jungle paradise. Helmasaurs, Dodongos, and hundreds of other reptilian creatures roamed the land alongside their ancient brethren. Dragons, such as Gleeoks, soared through the skies alongside Kargoroks and gigantic moths, which ate either the carrion of the ground or the fruits and saps of trees depending upon the diet which each species took. Deep within the ground, Lanmolas dug deep within the earth, and giant insects roamed about and fed upon the plants of the jungle, or each other. Such was the paradise of this strange and ancient land.

Paradise had a strange habit of collapsing upon those who dwelled in it.

High in the sky, a great meteor suddenly began to fly towards the valley. Though the meteor was large, it was roughly the size of a large cottage or a mansion. Either way, it wasn't big enough to cause extinction upon a global scale. However, such a massive object could only cause terror and destruction to a smaller area, where population was dense and the creatures were too large to find substantial cover.

The meteor hit the ground in the western fringe of the jungle. The explosion rippled across the valley, sending the creatures native to the land flying across the expanse of the jungle. The trees shattered and burnt to the ground, and entire mountains were quickly leveled in the path of the explosion. A sonic boom shot out throughout all corners of the planet in wake of the devastation caused upon the valley.

When the dust cleared, it was not the meteor that caused the devastation.

The crust of the earth had broken, and great cracks had formed in the center of the crater made by the meteor. However, no lava or any of the earth's body fluids poured from the center of the crater. Instead, a great, black tar formed across the surface like a tremendous, black bubble. The bones and exoskeletons of the creatures that died covered the surface of the bubble, their bones appearing not as if they were charred, but more like drained of life.

A single Helmasaur was the only thing alive. It roared in fright and in distress as it tried to struggle out of the center of the dark pool. Before it could get free, purple strands of gross, disgusting matter extended from deep within the pool and pulled the screaming creature down, deep within the darkness of the tar.

Silence. Fatal, mind-breaking silence. And then, a sudden rumbling within the depths of the earth. From the center of the pool, a great, purple tendril like a spike rose into the sky. Some of it began to disintegrate the moment it rose into the air, but the strange matter, absorbed from the dead creatures in its depths, that clung tightly to it allowed it to create an exoskeleton, which protected it from the deadly rays of the sun and the sky. Other tree-like growths began to grow in sync, until an entire forest had formed around the depths of the great pool of tar. The forest rose until it was high into the sky, and then all growth seemed to cease at last.

Nothing save for the jungles at the fringes of the mountains grew in the valley. Life had almost completely ceased to exist. All that did exist was the giant forest of purple, black, and sickly, vomit-like green that grew on the western fringes of the world. As the earth seemed to grow silent in honor of the fallen, the strange tar bubbled and danced as the dark force compelling it sat in its eternal slumber…and waited…

* * *

_-Valley of Stone, Age of Change_

Tracks in the snow led far from the village. The blizzard had been going on for almost a straight hour, and the one that had left needed to return for the night. A single Human wandered from the village, following the tracks as they made their way off westward. Covering his eyes from the harsh, unforgiving snow, he continued following until the tracks ceased in the snow.

The big human took in a deep breath. "Akache Raul!!" he shouted towards the snow.

Not a sound hung in the wind. The human waited a few more minutes before shouting once again. When his call went unanswered, he turned in sad defeat.

"Gaouga! Gaouga! Eggackache Keridar!"

A lone voice shouted out from beyond the ever-growing cloud of white. The man turned in surprise. Wordlessly, he quickly followed the sound of the voice as fast as he could. The man kept going, following the panicked voice as best as he could, until he finally came to a stop.

"RAUL!"

At the man's feet was another Human, his lower body trapped in a crack in the ice. Dark, black bile covered him up to his chest, and the stuff seemed to bubble out of the ice like a magma vent. Steam rose into the air around the cracks in the ice, enough so that it kept the stuff exposed from the snowy blizzard above.

"Keridar!" the trapped man shouted, "Gaouga, Keridar! Indigir!"

The first man turned behind him and gave a loud shout into the wind. Within a few moments, at least a dozen other Humans quickly joined the first. The group of them began to clamber around their fallen comrade under orders of the first one.

"Indigir! Ashake no kalkor Raul!"

The blizzard quickly increased its powerful might, bringing visibility nigh close to zero. As it did, there was silence across the land, with only the wind breaking through the barrier of absolute zero of deadly calmness.

The silence was suddenly broken by the sound of 14 crying, horrified, and dying Humans. The sound of over a dozen splashes could be heard in the dark, and the struggled moaning and yelps of each of the villagers who tried to save their friend as some unknown beast brought them all to a terrible fate. Suddenly, the silence returned as swiftly as it disappeared, and the shadow of death seemed to cover the entire valley.

A huge, black spike, like a tree, began to suddenly grow from out of the ice. The hardened carapace seemed to squirm at first, as if there was something inside trying to escape, before it suddenly ceased moving altogether. It stood like a deadly sentinel of dark and terrible design, and was like a monument of the death that seemed to grip the valley's icy stones like a monstrous hand. The snow swiftly began to cover the tracks where the Humans had once treaded, and all was silent once more.

* * *

_-Valley of Green, Colonist Age_

It was the year 7,042 BIW. A small town known as Farrowville stood in the middle of a great, green valley. Mountains covered it on all sides, protecting it from all forms of invasion or evil. The town was a colony; a colony of a much larger kingdom that spread far and wide beyond the lands. This kingdom was called Hylia, and it was ruled by the people of the Gods; the Hylians.

Evidence had claimed that the elusive Human race once lived here, though they had either died out or disappeared long before the Hylians had arrived. It was also a mystery, seeing as this land had few predators and plenty of resources, including very beautiful soil that guaranteed the good growth of a grand harvest. Why the Humans left, or even died out, was a question that even the wisest of scholars could not answer.

The Hylians did not bother with such questions. They were content to continue to grow their good harvests and build their great houses and halls to their leisure. The land was theirs by right. As the chosen people of the Gods, they had the firm belief that they were the tenders of the world, and could live at their leisure. There had been no evils since the dark times of the Age of Change, and they were at peace.

One farmer wiped the sweat from his brow as he looked upon his field. He lived just a little ways from the town itself, and was content to be a bit away from the common folk so that he could grow as much as his heart desired. Content that his corn was growing properly, he picked up a hoe and went over to a strip of land he had yet to till. Taking the hoe, he walked over and began to dig.

He found that the soil was no better than rock. It was strange, seeing as the soil nearby was very well done and could be toiled perfectly. He noticed that the dirt nearby was bare and had no life, and that, for some reason, it seemed to stretch far beyond, at least to the other side of the nearby crag. The farmer, nor anyone else, had ever gone that far before, and few ever did. It was a dark place, and many villagers who did wander off never returned.

The farmer sighed and took his hoe with him back to his hut. Deciding to hire one of the other farmers, one with a more stable plow, to come over to help him in the morning, he chose to turn in early. Putting his hoe away, he went into his small hut and closed the door, where his wife was ready to prepare his meal for him.

Little did the farmer know that he was about to have trespassers.

Two young ones; a boy and a girl in their late teens; had fallen under the spell of one of the many emotions gifted by Nayru…love. The two of them had been frolicking around in the village for a while, and the natural urges of humanoid desire was touching them quickly. The two of them decided that the corn field was the perfect place for their courtship to extend to the next level, and their love began to increase tenfold as they kissed and touched under the afternoon sun.

The farmer, who had heard the commotion, opened the door to his hut to see what the matter was. Before they could be spotted, the two quickly left the cornfield and decided to take their business elsewhere; perhaps past the crag of rock that rose up high and separated the civilized land from the wilds beyond. Perhaps there they could be at peace to continue their love at their leisure.

As the two of them passed the crags, giggling and hugging all the while, they both came to a stop. Eyes wide in fright, the two of them could only stand their in a sort of half-embrace as they stared at the darkness beyond.

A forest of black rose above a dark and desolate plain of dust, rock, and charred ash. Cracks and crevasses in the rock expanded for miles on end, and from within the depths of some of the dark, black openings was a strange, bubbling liquid like black tar. Though the nearest crack was quite some distance away, the sight of the dark place full of emptiness was a frightening thing to see indeed.

"Tai?" the girl said, "Let…let's go back. I-I-I'm afraid."

"Shh," the boy whispered calmly, "We can't go yet, Selvan. Let's figure out what that dark forest is…we could be the first to ever view it in the whole village!"

"Are you mad? This is a dark place…the Gods do not smile here. I want to go back, please!"

"We can't go now!" Tai protested, "The village needs to know about this! Maybe the people who disappeared are in there. Let's at least take a closer look!"

After much arguing and protesting by both, the girl finally relented. The two of them quickly approached the closest crack in the ground, though as they got closer they steadily began to slow their pace. Both clung to each other almost for dear life, as if each were afraid that something would burst from the dark forest and drag the other into the depths, leaving them alone and afraid in the darkness. Black clouds seemed to keep the sun from shining in all but the very center of the forest, and the rocks of the dead land poked at their feet and drew blood.

The boy finally let go of the girl and came closer to the crack in the ground. The girl trembled as she stood away from the crack. The boy crouched low and came closer, gazing deeply into the black tar as it bubbled and churned deep within the depths of the stone.

"Tai?" the girl said anxiously, "We've seen enough. Let's go, hurry!"

"It feels warm," the boy said as he waved a hand over the tar. As quick as he dared, he stuck a finger on the surface and pulled it back up. "And it's sticky," he said, as his finger pulled a bit of the stuff out.

"Tai! Let's go, now! It's evil…we must warn everybody!"

The boy looked into the crack and could only gaze at the tar. The stuff kept bubbling, and seemed to reflect the light from above like a black mirror. The boy didn't know why, but he could almost swear that a white, lifeless eye was gazing back at him from beneath the black pool.

"TAI!"

Too late did the boy move. While neither of them noticed, the cracks had steadily begun to increase in a circle around the two of them. In the blink of an eye, the rock parted beneath the boy's body, and he was swallowed into the tar. The girl barely managed to jump away in time, but was quick to reach the side as she gazed frightfully at her lover.

"TAI!" she screamed, "NO!"

The boy struggled as the tar began to slowly swallow him up. He tried to get out with all of his might, but the sides of the rock were too far away for him to grab. As he was slowly swallowed up in the depths, his eyes gazed one last time upon his lover as his vision slowly began to fade away.

"Selvan…run…go warn…the…othe-"

"TAI!"

The boy disappeared into the murk. The girl gazed, broken by despair, at the blank, calm, bubbling pool where the boy's body once was. She wept, clinging to her dusty face as she sat at the place where her lover once was alive. She cursed cruel fate for taking the one she loved away, right at the heart of their passion.

Fate seemed to laugh at her as the rocks suddenly began to groan all around her. Quickly, she ran away like a frightened deer, getting as far away from the evil, black forest as she could. Gazing back, she saw to her upmost horror that a lonely, black tree had started to grow in the center of the black pool of despair where she once stood.

Her lover's hand poked out of the tree once, as if warding her away, before it was swallowed back up by the dark, deadly growth. When she was at a sufficient distance, she cried as any lover would cry when the one who would otherwise be her husband and dearest love had been taken away cruelly from her.

It was a dark day indeed upon the cursed lands beyond the Valley of Green…

To be continued…

* * *

**Kerian**: The prologue of The Clan Wars...there is a part that I'm planning on having in The Clan Wars that can't exactly be added into the story without a bunch of confusion. I had watched the Birth of Evil a little while ago in my life, and I've got to say that it's pretty epic. It helped inspire this particular story, and the plot to follow. If you've read Legacy of the Sages, you'll recognize how I've added Chaos in the whole story. You'll soon figure out quite a bit about it in this short prologue.

Alright, there are three things you can expect, or can't expect, in this fanfic that differs from my other stories. As you can see, none of my OCs have popped up to annoy me to death and bring humor to the author's notes. Don't expect that for the other chapters either, seeing as I'm officially keeping them out of the author notes for at least this story. My shield can only last for so long though, so hopefully I'll be able to keep them out before they manage to barge in. lol. The next thing you shouldn't expect is an uber-long story that is full of dungeons n' stuff. This is only going to be a grand total of 5 chapters long, either including or not including the prologue and the epilogue. It's going to be short and sweet, and also introduces an important event (or two) in the history of Hyrule that is important to the whole of the Clan Wars. The final thing you must know is this; I am guaranteeing that this will be my first complete fanfic that isn't a oneshot...I know. Shocked, are we? Is Kerian finally finishing something for once? Not to say that I haven't been trying to finish Legacy of the Sages n' stuff. It's still being worked on, and probably will be for a while...put it this way, for those of you who are curious about Legacy of the Sages should know that the next boss fight is going to be the grand official halfway point in the whole story...God willing anyway...

Alright, now that we have that all finished, I should see you readers off, at least for now. Knowing that you are going to probably keep reading this story until the very end, I doubt that the last sentence was really all that necessary. I can guarantee one thing though; you guys are going to love what's coming next...but until then, me out!

-Kerian


	2. Chapter 1: Demon Rising

**The Legend of Zelda**

_The Clan Wars: Rise of Dethl_

Chapter 1: Demon Rising

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_-Greenholme, 5012 BIW (Imperial Age)_

The city of Grand Farrow. In its prime, it was a splendid example of how grand the Hylian Empire had become. The province of Greenholme, in all of its splendor, glowed green with rich farmland, moist jungles to the south, and mighty forests and prairies to the north. The city itself was normally bustling with life and activity, and the buildings were alive with politicians, nobles, merchants, and many others who could afford to live in such beautiful dwellings.

It was not such on this day. Great cracks had formed in the ground, and much of the greenery west of that land had been drained of their goodness and returned to the dust from whence it came. Great, black trees had risen from the ground, puncturing through homes and through city streets. Though no black, bubbling tar could be seen, neither could the people. The city was nigh short of empty, as many had evacuated to the eastern edges of the city where they would be safe. Great walls had cut the city in half, with the mighty Imperial Castle in the center.

The castle was made of white and gray marble, with painted wood and lovely roofs painted bright red. Such beauty, which would have inspired awe in any outsider and pride to the locals who lived there, was lost upon that dark time, and a shadow had formed over the castle's walls. Servants had evacuated long ago, and much of the gardens and outer areas were in disrepair. Indeed, the only activity often seen in the castle in this dark age was within the throne room, such as right now.

In the center of the throne room, a young lady with flowing red hair was kneeling on the red, silk carpet. She was covered in green robes, which protected the large bulge of her belly that implied that she was heavily pregnant. Her beautiful red hair, as long as it was, could not hide her frightened, blue eyes as she gazed at the throne sitting in front of her, and the proud man who was being tended to by two monks and an assortment of smithies.

"But husband, why?" she asked, "Why now?"

"Gaze outside the window, woman," the man said, "Gaze upon what was once the jewel of our city, now covered in shadow and pierced by devilry of an ancient kind. Gaze upon the withered farmlands that once produced the greatest of crops and the richest of grains. Gaze upon the pierced cobblestones that was once our streets, the ruined buildings once full of life, the withered heath far beyond which has contained this evil, and ask again the question that had just left your lips."

"Husband," she said again, "Please…it is too dangerous. None who have ever entered that valley has returned alive, and I fear that the Gods will not protect you in there."

"The Gods saw fit to protect my ancestor when she returned after the death of her lover," the man said, "With her blood in my veins, and with the strength of my faith, will they not see fit to grant me safety as well?"

By now, the smiths had begun strapping armor to the man. The woman could only watch as each piece was added onto his skin, strapped down, bolted tight, and then polished brightly before the next part was added.

"What of your family?" she asked, "If you die, what is to become of them? What is to become of me?"

"You jest," the man said with a sad smile, "Family is the reason why I do this. As your husband, I do this for the sake of your love, that we may live together again in peace in this place that was once our lovely home. As a future father, I do this to ensure our child's future, so that the child may be able to frolic in this good land as we once did when we were young."

A large helmet was placed upon his head, hiding his golden hair and all but his blue eyes and mustached and bearded face. His eyes gazed sadly upon the woman he loved, before turning to the east window and to the frightened city beyond.

"And as King of this land," he said, "I am entitled to protect the rest of my family as well. Are the people here in this city not entitled to my kinship as well? They are my family. I am like a guiding father to all of them, and it is in the father's duty to protect his sons and daughters, no matter the cost. That is why I go west…to protect my people…to protect you."

The last of the warrior's regalia was added. A mighty sword had been strapped to his belt, and a shield was added onto his back. Already, he appeared to be more of a knight than a king, though his soft, sad eyes betrayed his love for his beloved wife, who began to weep as she gazed upon him.

"I can't stay here…knowing that you will die," she said with tears in her eyes, "How will I know you will return?"

The warrior approached his wife and bent down upon one knee. He gently raised her chin with his finger. Gazing deeply into her eyes, he gently pecked at her lips through his visor and smiled sadly.

"My darling wife," he said, "I give you my oath…an oath as strong as the one that bound us together by love…I will return, one way or another. You have the word of a king, a knight…and a husband."

The woman smiled, and burst into tears. The two of them embraced for a while, despite the man's bulky armor and the woman's bulge in her belly, before the hand of an old priest tapped the king's shoulder.

"My lord," the priest said, "These are the crafted arrows created by combining the mighty of the Goddesses with our everlasting faith. They are the key weapons that will help you defeat this devilry."

The monk held out a casket of arrows. The arrows looked like most normal ones, save for their intricate design and the fact that they seemed to glow brightly with an essence of golden light. The king took these gratefully and stood up, placing the arrows carefully in his quiver.

"I must go," he said to his wife, who was still on her knees and weeping, "I shall return…I promise…"

* * *

The king waved one last goodbye to his people. There was no ceremony, no special honor, no final rights save for the ones he and his four score warriors received from the priests in case if some of them never came back. Those who were going with the king were his most loyal warriors; men that were willing to die for their leader without question. These warriors were clad in armor and ready to go to war. At this point, the king knew that they had to be, for stories told that no armor in the world could protect one when they were tossed into the dark depths of the murky tar pits.

Four score and one horses rode across the dusty plain towards the dark forest of black trees. Like the spears of a black army, the spines and sharp ends of the objects seemed to herald the doom of the 81 warriors that descended into the darkness. The horses whinnied and snorted as they moved through the dark forest, and everyone was on edge.

The men continued to follow their king. Deeper and deeper into the forest they went. The king could almost feel like they were being watched by some dark presence, like some great eye was gazing upon them as they passed through the black, spiked trees. To add to the gruesome sight, some of the trees had begun to decay, revealing old bones deep within…many of them the kin of those riding.

The dark, dusty ground thumped underneath the hooves of all 81 horses. The beasts, though frightened, obeyed their masters' orders and continued deep into the forest. Their severe discipline combined with their breed's stubbornness and loyalty kept them from bolting head over heels away from the dark depths of the evil place. Deep, ancient evil lurked just behind every rock and dark, unholy tree, and it did not take the human sense of morals and beliefs to know that there was a dark and ancient evil deep inside.

None could see the ground cracking around the bases of each of the trees. Deep cuts in the earth began to form as dark, black fluid began to ooze and bubble. Nobody could see this, for everyone was too focused on the goal at head; too concentrated on their goal in their attempts to control their fear. And so, it came as a surprise to all when the first man started screaming.

There was a splash; a cry for help; and then…a black tree formed out of the ground.

A horse ran forward, its rider and saddle completely gone. Tar was all across its side, but it kept riding out of fear. The others didn't know what to expect, but the king raised an arm and made a gesture with his hand. The men drew their swords and looked expectantly at the ground, making sure that nothing would ambush them again…

There was a burst of dust. A horse tripped and fell forward. The rider suddenly screamed and there was another splash…and yet another tree.

A hideous moaning began to escalate as more men suddenly died in horrid ways. The ground parted beneath one horse and swallowed both beast and rider. Tar burst forth from the ground and grabbed at soldiers from horseback, dragging them under and swallowing them whole. Tree branches suddenly turned and speared or struck the men, causing them to slip in the grasp of more tar. Horses panicked and bucked about as their riders screamed and were killed in mortifying ways.

80 trees had grown in the forest. When the king looked back to check on the survivors, he found that he was alone. Only a small herd of horses were still following, their bodies covered in remnants of tar, and their eyes glazed over in fright. The king didn't know what to expect, for he knew that he and his steed were both deeper in the forest than anyone else had ever gone. Not knowing what to expect, he ordered his horse to continue.

Finally, he broke through a wall of complete darkness…and almost fell in headfirst into a giant lake of tar. His horse reared back and saved him just in time. The creature quickly bolted aside, knocking him off and into the trunks of one of the trees. His fall caused his head to reel about in pain, though he silently thanked his steed for getting him to safety away from the disgusting, black, evil liquid.

The horses were not so lucky. 80 there once were, but they were blinded by their fear as they strode head-on into the black abyss. One by one, they were swallowed each by the great pool of darkness, and were consumed silently into the depths. 81 horses and riders set forth. Only one was a live.

Four score warriors had died. The king bowed his head low in shame and grief. It would have been better if he had gone alone, instead of bring the others with him. Why did he bring them along? Did he believe that there was an evil that he needed aid to defeat, or did he believe that, somehow, they would appease the creature? Such thoughts were agonizing and portrayed the mind of a coward, and a coward the king was not. Many a foe made the mistake of assuming that he was nothing less than the courageous hero of his people, and they all paid for their mistakes in one form or another…

The king sighed and shook his head. He had come here for a purpose. His heart filled with resolve as he stood upon his feet. His horse quickly strode to his side, and he calmed the creature. The loyal beast stood beside him as he began to prepare the area where he stood for the task at hand.

He got down on his knees. Holding his palms close together, he began to pray for guidance from the Goddesses. His words began to echo through the dark forest almost like something from a heavenly dream; a prayer that combated the darkness, something not seen since the beginning of this world. As he prayed, his words began to tumult and ascend about throughout the dark tar. This is what he said…

"Goddesses of old, Spirits of on high…May you and your lesser helpers aid me in my plight. Great was thy blessing when you gave life unto my breast and the breast of my people, but even now a power of great darkness has come and crushed the life of this land…I ask for your aid. Great Din, with flaming hair and warm breast, grant me resolve and strength of the land…"

He reached behind his armor and pulled out two objects. One was a mighty bow; an ancient thing crafted by fine hands and aligned with silver and gold. The other; the quiver of arrows given to him by the priest.

"Noble Farore, with green dress and loving embrace, grant me the spirit of life and courage of the heart…"

He notched one of the arrows upon the bow. Slowly, he took the bow and began to aim his sights at the gross, bubbling liquid in the pit straight ahead. The tar seemed to writhe at the sight of the arrow, and looked almost as if it was raising a grasping hand into the air as the warrior drew back upon the bowstring.

"Wise Nayru, with eyes of sapphire and with the grace of the heavens, grant me the wisdom and faith of the Law from which you set upon this world…"

He raised the bow, slowly, until it pointed high into the sky. All time seemed to go still. The tar continued its bubbling cacophony, while the man sweated and held his bow pointed up to the sky. The horse pawed the ground, but did not do anything; it merely gazed at the beautiful weapon that the king held in his hands.

"Goddesses," the king said at last, "Save us in this hour of our greatest need…"

He let go of the bowstring.

The arrow sung as it flew high into the sky. Up into the heavens it ascended, slicing through air and cloud as it rose higher and higher into the realms above that of mortals. When it finally stopped, it slowly began to dip, basking in the heat of the sun, before suddenly descending back down like a holy meteor flung from the sky. A great whooshing sound echoed throughout the valley, and then, as suddenly as it was launched, the holy arrow struck the center of the tar.

The arrow went straight through. At first, nothing seemed to happen. The King waited patiently for something to occur, but the only thing that seemed to change was that the tar had become very still. Suddenly, when the King was about to give up hope, he watched to his surprise as the dark forest began to slowly descend back into the depths; completely returning into the ground from whence it came, until there was not even a sliver of black left.

Only the great pit of tar remained. The king was confused at first. The pit did not move once, and not even a ripple moved through the depths. The king let temptation get the best of himself, and he approached the once-bubbling mass, and made as if to poke at it with his finger.

A great and dark whooshing sound shot through the air and echoed throughout the four corners of the valley of Greenholme. The bubbling tar began to shake and writhe, and the ground around it shook as well. Great booming sounds and mighty roaring tumults cascaded from the edge of the pool. The horse quickly bolted away, never looking back, leaving its master to only gaze up in horror.

A great mass began to rise from the center of the black liquid. Great, powerful arms and legs began to form as well, though they did not take on definitive shape. Instead, as they rose, they sort of formed a single, symmetrical mass…and that was all that could be identified with anything that was life in this world. Spines, sharp grooves, even sphere-like appendages began to form all around the creature's body. It suddenly began to change its mind about legs, and instead formed a snake-like form, though the arms still remained.

It stood straight, tall, and black. As black as ebony that had lost its luster. It was darker than a patch of starless night that promised forevermore a time of darkness and despair. The being seemed to stand rigid like a tree, and yet moved like the viscous liquid that it was seemingly birthed from. As it stood, seemingly basking in the sun, all life seemed to hold its breath…even the wind stopped moving.

Suddenly, an eyelid began to open up. Slowly, with twitching movements, the simple muscles began to open up and reveal a thin, white membrane that seemed to reek of despair and hatred. As the eyelid finally opened, the eye began to slowly take definite shape, and a soulless pupil began to appear. Black with a red cornea surrounding it, the eye gazed about at its new world for a few long, agonizing minutes, before blinking for the first time.

The creature seemed to stretch and yawn. The king was grossly horrified, though curious all the while. How could such a creature form? Was it willed by the Goddesses, or was it just an aftereffect of the arrows? It was confusing, though the thoughts were not enough to break the king away from the harsh reality of this abomination.

Finally, the beast was finished stretching. It gazed about at its surroundings, perhaps in confusion or because of curiosity, and seemed to act like a young child who had wandered somewhere that he didn't belong. Suddenly, it gazed its eye into the sky and let out a mighty roar. No mouth could be seen from the beast, but its voice could be heard clearly. It took a while before the king, in the midst of his horrified paralysis, realized that the roar was not of anger…but a roar of laughter.

"OOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! AAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAHAAA!!! OOHohohohohaaaa! At long last, I can gaze at the horrid orb that you mortals call the sun. How beautiful and terrible it is indeed…hahahaahoooohahahaa!!"

The king backed away in fear. It spoke!

"Ooooh…how I do enjoy feeling the air through my skin instead of through the pores that were the only things that escaped from my chains," the beast said, "It feels good to be free…and now, where is the insect that shook me from my bonds?"

The beast looked about, until its eye gazed upon the frightened form of the king standing before him.

"HAHAHAHA!!! Thank you, kind mortal," it said in a sinister voice, "You have set me free from my horrid prison, from which I was a victim of for lo these tens of thousands of years! At last, I am free amongst the earth again…free to bring the chaos back into the world that was rightfully mine!"

"N-n-n-n-n-no! NO!" the king shouted in disbelief, "That arrow was meant to destroy you, not set you free!!! HOW?!?"

"You are quite an amusing little parasite," the demon said, "It is true, your arrow did destroy what you saw was evil, but the image that you had seen was but the outside of my prison walls. It is true that I am the source of the black forest that has slowly drained the life from this place, and it is true that I am the one who swallowed your four score soldiers and their beasts, without a second thought…but you still saw my prison as the source of the evil. Therefore, you have freed me…and I am grateful!"

"NO!" the king shouted as he grabbed his bow from the ground and pulled back another arrow of light, "No, I will not believe it! You are the evil that I set out to destroy, and your evil will be contained once again!"

He let loose the arrow. The beast was struck by the thing, and it seemed to shiver for a moment or two…but then the object began to slowly enter the beast's body. The monster took one look at the disappearing arrow and let out another horrifying laugh.

"Foolish mortal!" he shouted, "Your magic has not only released me, but protected me as well. Indeed, for how else can I move about with such ease on this mortal plane without the Goddesses striking me down? I am supreme, for I am CHAOS!!"

A single tree suddenly rose behind him. The outer cortex of the tree began to rot away, revealing an ancient skeleton perfectly preserved inside.

"I knew that it was a wise idea to let this fool's lover go and give birth to the bastard child that was to be in her womb," he said, "Indeed…for had I not, no one would have heard of my wretched evil, and none would have the chance to wander in the depths of my forest with the right antidote to set me free! I knew it would be only a matter of time before the descendant of this one would set me loose…Indeed, you can thank the intelligence I have gained from the collective mortals I have swallowed for that fact alone. You would be surprised how easy it is to become almost omniscient by swallowing the life force of a few hundred mortals…or perhaps a whole nation of them!"

His dark eye seemed to betray a wicked smile upon his features. The king could only howl in rage as he drew another bow and let loose a salvo of arrows. The demon seemed amused at first, but his amusement quickly turned to anger, which turned to rage, even as the Hylian began trying to hack at his base with his pitiful sword.

"No mortal weapon can harm me, insect," the demon said, "Since you are not grateful for my own gratitude, I shall pass judgment upon you!"

The creature reached into the pool and suddenly tossed a handful of tar. The warrior king was entangled with the stuff, completely immobilized. On command of the monster, the tar suddenly pulled him into the depths of the pool, and all was black.

Dark, grim, suffocating. That was all that the king felt. He seemed to be suddenly stripped of his armor, until he was completely naked in the tar. It did not matter now, for he was completely immobilized by the beast, and could only wait until lack of air or sanity would ensure his swift death.

Suddenly, he was pulled up. Coughing and spluttering, the king saw that he was strapped to a great and mighty base of rock and tar. The powerful object rose high, until it came to a stop in the air. As the king opened his eyes, he saw to his amazement that he was in clear view of Grand Farrow castle, which stood in the distance.

"Since you are so willing to defy my might," the beast said, "you shall pay by dying last. Watch as your world suffers down to the very last single-celled microbe on this world, starting with your tiny hive of a village! OOOOAAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"

The demon turned his gaze to the city. The king could tell that the beast was smiling, though he could care less. Horror and despair gripped his heart as he saw the beast slowly climb out of the pool of tar, his snake-like form beginning to rise out from the depths.

"Oh…yes," it spoke, "Soon the whole world will tremble when it faces the might…of Nightmare!"

The beast suddenly leaped into the air. With a quick flash, it seemed to transform into a powerful winged monster; like a bat crossed with a man, only darker and devoid of flesh. The creature flew through the sky with the speed of an arrow, and was soon hovering over the village. Nightmare swiftly transformed back into his true form, and the king watched in horror as the beast suddenly launched powerful beams from its eyes and swung its mighty arms about, destroying all in its path.

The man's sobs were not enough to drown out the cackling of Nightmare as he began to slowly destroy the valley.

To be continued…

* * *

**Kerian**: So, now we see the beast known as Nightmare. I was heavily inspired by the plot of Samurai Jack's The Birth of Evil episode when I wrote all of this, so it's not exactly the most original piece of work. However, now we catch a first glimpse of the forces of chaos. Who knows what's going to happen next!

I've yet to really delve into the pantheon of Hyrule's Gods and Goddesses...mostly because in the past I felt it would kind of conflict with my religion (which is why I never spell God or Goddess with the beginning letter capitalized in Legacy of the Sages...I'm over that paranoia now, seeing as I know it's all make-believe, though I still keep to that tradition in LotS). However, this story is going to involve the three big girls a lot. If you've ever watched The Birth of Evil before, you'll see just how involved they'll really get...

Like I probably said earlier (and even if I didn't, I might as well say now) this story will be posted on Deviantart and is currently there for viewing. Hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed creating it! Until the next chapter, me out!

-Kerian


	3. Chapter 2: The Tower

**The Legend of Zelda**

_The Clan Wars: Rise of Dethl_

Chapter 2: The Tower

* * *

Grand Farrow Castle was as dark and grim as it always was during that dark age of despair and hopelessness. For the past hour, the king and his men had been gone into the depths of the forest, and some people had reported that they heard screaming from within the darkness. It didn't take long for many of the villagers, especially the wives of the poor men, to weep; knowing that many of them were to become or were already widows. Amongst those who grieved was the queen, who stood up by her bedroom window and silently despaired over her husband.

_He's not coming back_, she thought. _How can he? The dark forest beyond was always taboo to our people. He is as good as dead, and I am as good as a widow…and our child is as good as fatherless even before he has been released from my womb onto the world._

She felt a little bit of pain in her belly. She was feeling like that for a while now. She knew that it was almost time to give birth, which was part of why she didn't want her husband to go. She was afraid that the king would never have a chance to see their child's face before it was born…Oh, how she wished to have her love in her arms again. It was enough to cause fresh tears to fall from her eyes.

There was a knock on the door. The queen quickly regained her composure and turned, wiping her eyes and standing as still as she could.

"Enter," she said silently.

The door opened. Three nursemaids came inside. Two of them were her private maidens; former concubines of the king before he became married and officially banned the practice of mistresses from the castle. They were her closest friends, and often did she counsel them when trying to find a means to please her lord. In fact, it was through their advice that she managed to become pregnant, which was the greatest blessing that both monarchs had ever been bestowed. The third, however, was an elderly maiden…who happened to be the midwife of the castle. She had been present during all of the birthings of royalty for the past five generations, and was even around to help the mother of the king when he was born.

"Your majesty," the old lady said, "The time has come…it is no secret that the child in your womb is ready to be released. We must be quick if he is to be born healthy on this good earth."

The queen looked downcast at the bulge in her stomach. "Not yet," she said, "I do not wish to give birth until I know my husband is alive…"

"My queen," one of the maidens said, "If you do not allow the child to be born now, your husband may never get the chance to see your child alive, whether he returns or not!"

"We know that you are ready," the other said, "Please, listen to the midwife…let your child be born into this world…"

The queen looked at the three servants, and then down at her belly. She felt a tiny wriggle inside her body. Her child seemed eager to see this world, even if her husband was not there to witness his arrival. She sighed. One way or another, she would have to relent to her maidens.

There was a sudden commotion outside. "By the Gods, look outside!!!" many people shouted. The queen and her maidens quickly obliged and turned to the huge windows of the royal bedchambers.

What they saw shocked all of them. The dark forest was starting to do the one thing that no one would expect in a million years…it was disappearing. One by one, each of the trees were sucked back into the earth from whence they came, until there was nothing but a dusty plain left behind. The winds seemed to return, and birds chirped and sung again for the first time in many a year. The only thing that did not change was the shadow over the castle and the rest of the land, which seemed to only increase in the wake of the dark forest.

It didn't take long for the queen to realize that this darkness was the night sky…not the night that they had to endure for years, but true night. Stars seemed to shimmer in the sky above, heralding a new age of peace, prosperity, and an end to all darkness.

_He's done it_, the queen thought. _My husband did it! My king…my love…_

A vibration went through her entire body. It was rather sudden, and it was combined with a great feeling of pain. She felt something slip down through her skirt, and then there was a splashing noise, followed by the gasps of her servants.

"Well, what are you all standing around for?" she giggled slightly, followed by a whine of pain, "I'm going to have a child brought into this world!"

The maidens kept staring, and began pointing their fingers towards the window. The queen turned around. Her giddy mood began to change, slowly, into confusion…and fear.

A dark shape had formed over on the horizon. It was a giant thing; terrible to behold, even from a distance. It stood where the center of the forest once was, and it seemed to be moving. Though it was far away, she could almost see the tremendous eye in the very center of the creature's body, and it sent a terrible chill through her spine.

Suddenly, the thing was joined by another dark mass, which rose from a great pool of tar and ash. It was like a gigantic tree stump; black, dark, terrible to behold. Dust and rock entrapped it together, and the mighty structure was at least almost as large as the demon itself, who had begun to ascend from the black pool from whence it came.

The queen's eyes were like those of a hawk. She could see many things from a great distance that even the mighty birds could barely make out. As such, she could tell right away that a man, spread eagled, was tied naked onto the mighty trunk…a man with golden hair.

"No…"

The dark creature suddenly changed. It became a massive beast; a gigantic bat with the hands and legs of a Hylian skeleton. The creature was blacker than even the night sky, and could only be seen by the great shadow that it made in the stars with its massive, black wings. It approached the city like a mighty wraith. Dark and terrible was the great noise it made in the wind as it circled the castle tower from its waypoint high in the sky.

It suddenly landed and transformed. The massive black beast showed its true form then; a snake-like, lower body, attached to a round and spined torso. Great spined limbs, almost like spheres attached to one another; 5-7 on each arm in all; made up its arms, and red spikes shaped like fingers housed on the last sphere on each arm. A great eye suddenly opened up and gazed upon the castle, showing its evil gaze that was fully fixed upon one emotion; hatred.

Fear gripped the hearts of all as the beast let out a mighty cackle through its mouthless body. Soulless, the pupil began to scan over the castle of Grand Farrow and the people within. With a mighty roar, the eye suddenly went as red as blood, and began to launch a powerful beam of evil energy upon the buildings and people, leaving ruins and ash in its wake.

"No…" the queen whispered again, "No…this cannot be!"

"Your highness!" the maidens shouted, "We must flee, now!"

"My queen, we must run!" the midwife shouted, "RUN!"

The monster lifted an arm. The queen, instinctively protecting her newborn, backed away as fast as she could as the beast suddenly took a swipe at the castle walls. The maidens screamed in fear. The queen almost fell backwards, though she was rescued by the midwife, who managed to push her up just in time with a strength that defied her age. She quickly placed the queen with the two maidens, entrusting her to their care.

"Get her into the cellars, and quickly!" the midwife said, "You must make haste! That child will be coming into this world at any moment, and I do not want the first thing that it sees to be his last as well!"

"Wait…" the queen said weakly, "Wha…where are you going?"

The midwife gave the queen a sad smile, wincing as the beast continued to rampage around the town. "I am going to buy you time," she said, "Do not bother with this old lady. My time has come. Goodbye, and Goddess-speed, my queen."

She gave the girls one last beckoning to leave, before suddenly turning and slowly approaching the great hole in the castle wall. She caught the beast's attention with her fiery gaze, and she stared long and hard at the monstrous demon.

"Unclean beast!" she cackled, "Go back into the shadow from whence thou hast come! Return to the fires of Hell from whence you came! The Goddesses watch over this town and its people. You have no right to be here! Begone!"

"Begone yourself, mortal!" the beast shouted mightily. His voice was strong, and it caused the castle walls to crumble more. The queen and her maidens squealed in fright, and could only watch the beast from their vantage point near the stairs.

"You pitiful insects do not frighten me," the monster said, "And neither do your Goddesses! They tried to defeat me in the past, and they so rightfully believe they did so! But look at me now! They missed a small fraction that managed to hide away, and now I am free once more! They cannot stop me…nothing can! I AM FREE TO DO AS I PLEASE, AND THAT INCLUDES DESTROYING YOU!!! ALL SHALL TREMBLE UNDER THE WRATH OF NIGHTMARE!"

The demon's eye focused upon the midwife. There was a flash of blood-red light, and she was no more. Only a pile of ash and rubble remained, which began to crumble from the force of the blow. The beast cackled and continued its rampaging destruction, leaving behind two frightened young women and their beloved queen who was dangerously close to giving birth.

_Why?_ She could only ask in grief. _Why? It isn't fair…why did the Goddesses do this to me? Why?!_

The beast cackled in delight as he lifted a poor villager in his grasp before suddenly crushing him bloodily between his mighty claws. His destructive rampage continued as he began to launch wave after wave of powerful eyebeams upon the poor town.

"WHYYYYYY?!?!?"

* * *

The king watched in sad horror as Nightmare began to lay waste to Grand Farrow. Tears fell freely from his eyes as he was held fast against the rock by powerful strands of tar, completely naked and exposed to all the elements. He did not care whether or not he would survive…he had failed his people. He deserved whatever death that was to come…

Tar bubbled slowly beneath his feet, at least 20 feet below where he hung. He had a great desire to just end it now…to leap and to let the disgusting muck take him into the depths of Hell where he belonged. At this point, he knew that there was nothing left for him. Even if he did survive, or if his people lived, he would still be condemned for releasing this evil; if not by his people, then by himself. He knew that there was nothing left…nothing left to live for. The darkness had won. Despair had won. Hopelessness had set her blanket over the world. There was nothing left but death…

Far off in the north, there was the thundering of hooves. Across the dusty plain, something very big was galloping south towards the pit of tar. Grass seemed to suddenly grow on the dusty plains with each step the creature's hooves made. Like thunder with a storm in its wake, the creature rode forth and headed straight towards the place where the dark forest once stood.

A supernatural mist began to rise from the dust, engulfing everything in a pale, cloudy light. The king, who was weeping upon his prison, suddenly felt the cold air touch his naked skin. Though he ignored it, he opened his eyes long enough to see what it was that seemed to be licking his foot.

His eyes open wide when he gazed down upon the muzzle of a gigantic horse. The creature was much like his own that escaped when the demon burst free from its shackles. The horse was covered in a spiritual, glowing light, and its body was covered in hair that was silvery white. Its hooves shone like diamonds, and the creature carried itself like a mighty and proud beast, like the wolves of the north that were unfazed and unafraid of the sight of a man in armor. Its eyes, however, were dark, though they reflected a brightness that proclaimed intelligence unlike anything he had seen in a horse before.

The king was mesmerized. This creature was the spirit horse of ancient legend; a creature that had lived in the ancient pagan stories of spirits that wandered the earth. The humans called her the Evenstar; the Northern Lights, the brightness of the sky that guides the lost into finding their way home. Though the religion of the Hylians forsook these ancient pagan teachings, the name still resided within the records of the ancient libraries of Grand Farrow…

"Epona," the King whispered.

The great mare snorted once. Mist poured out of her nostrils, which enveloped the king's naked body. He winced at the pain that it brought, though it was mostly because the mist was cold against his exposed flesh.

There was a shudder in the stump; a tremble in the earth. The tar began to react violently, bubbling and churning at the base of the king's prison. Suddenly, the king felt himself shift, and noticed that his prison was steadily beginning to…disappear.

It was slow at first. The rate steadily began to climb, however, and strand upon strand of the stuff began to disintegrate into the air as the mist touched. The king suddenly felt the stuff slowly releasing him, until he finally used the last urges of his strength to set himself free. When he swiftly dropped, he didn't land in the tar. Instead, he landed on solid ground. The tar was steadily disappearing; disintegrating into the air above. The hole began to swallow the mighty rock that was his prison as the tar surrounding it began to fade away into nothingness, until there was not but a very old and very dusty crater in its wake.

The king could only stare at his savior. The mighty horse was every bit like the creature of legend. Epona was her name; a creature as old as the earth itself. Humans called her the mother of all horses, and Hylians; the pagans that converted into the mainstream religion or disappeared into the south; called her a loving light of guidance and rescue. The silver creature bent down low and brushed her muzzle against the man's chest.

The king patted the mare's muzzle, and then began to slightly stroke it, a sad smile slowly forming upon his face. How could he stay sad, regardless of the despair of his people, when faced with such a marvelous animal? Such a beautiful creature could only be described as the mare of mares, the lady of all things that run free upon Hylia's great plains.

Suddenly, the mist began to disperse some more. The king gasped in fright as the great horse was suddenly enveloped in a great cloud of the white smoke. It began to rear up and whinny; a bright, clear sound that seemed to strike through the air of Greenholme and bring the stars to their knees in love and kindness. The king was not sure how, but the mighty creature was, suddenly, growing smaller.

When the mist receded, Epona had been transformed into a horse of average size. She was a fully grown mare, and though she had lost some of the luster and beauty of her godly form she still was a magnificent animal. She was clad in russet-brown hair that was as dark and rich as the newly grown soil of the lands to the east. Her hooves were coal-black instead of carrying their great diamond shine, and she looked a bit more humble than she once was. Her main and tail, however, remained the same silvery white color, and her eyes were no less gentle, kind, or intelligent than they were in her deity form.

The mare pawed at the ground and bent her head. The king was confused, and cocked an eyebrow. When the creature pawed the ground again, it put only one thought in his mind; the mare wanted him to ride her!

"I am not sure that I am worthy of a mount such as yourself," the king said humbly, "But I know better than to argument against someone of any pantheon. I shall follow your word, great horse."

The king lightly slipped onto her bare back. She was very soft, and even in his nakedness he did not find her back uncomfortable. Grabbing onto her mane for support, he bent himself low and grabbed at her sides with his knees. With a quick whinny and a mighty leap, Epona was off.

Not once did her gallop faze the king. She was light and swift, and went as straight across the dips and grooves of the land as she was across the straight dust plains or the rocky crags near the mountains. It was as if she was flying across the land instead of running. She continued her pace all throughout their journey, heading west towards the setting sun. The sunlight was as red as blood as the great orb of day began to set over the horizon, and the horse continued following it to the point that the sunset seemed to last for hours. The king kept his hold as tight as possible, knowing full well that, should he fall, he would never survive once in his nakedness.

The horse continued galloping west for at least another hour until they made it through the great mountain range that marked the very end of Greenholme. They continued onwards, past crag upon crag of rock, which was covered in either forest or grass in every single valley and canyon. It was a form of life that made the king feel jealous of the prosperity that went on outside of his homeland. His eyes gazed east, and even in this fair distance he could see the fires and smoke caused by Nightmare's rampage, and he felt fresh, hot tears fall from his eyes.

At long last, they reached a mighty mountain that stood in the center of the range. It was a huge thing; a mountain so large that it touched the clouds and its peak scaled even past that point. Instead of slowing down, Epona seemed to increase her speed dramatically, and rushed towards the base of the mountain where a mighty mist was forming. The king ducked as they went inside, but was suddenly both mortified and awestruck as they began to gallop atop the mist, as if the mist was as solid as any flight of stairs. The king reached a brave hand down and touched the stuff, only to have it fade away in his hand.

Epona continued her upward climb, not once stopping her breakneck speed. By now, the stars had come out in full, and the moon had shown her face off in the east. The destruction of Grand Farrow was not but a single flicker of light in a plain of growing darkness. At their vantage point, high up in the clouds, the king could see the lands of the far east; all of Greenholme, the valley of the Gerudo warriors, the great Hylia Field, the northern mountains of Snowpeak, the ocean of blue that was Lake Everglass in the south, the jungle lands of Southbound in the greater south, and the mighty expanse of green that was the dreaded Lost Woods. He could even see further east, in places that he never thought existed. Mighty oceans of blue and forests of green. Mountains of red flame rose and fell near the base of what was Snowpeak. Even stranger still was a land in the farthest east, past the mountains called Kakariko…a land of eternal shadow. Gazing upon that land gave him a great chill, and he wondered whether or not it had fallen upon times harder than even Greenholme had.

At long last, Epona slowed to a stop. They were at the very top of the mountain peak. It wasn't just any peak at all, but the base to a mighty tower that stood almost as high as the stars. He had heard of such a place; the Tower of Hera, home of the Gods whenever they chose to descend upon the mortal realm. Again, it was only a pagan legend, and was deemed folly whenever brought into subject by even the most passionate of scholars. However, the king was starting to see a fade in the line between the theology of pagans and Hylians, and the great horse standing beside him was merely living proof. He wondered what all he would see fade when this was over.

Epona stopped at the base of the tower and snorted. The king took it as a sign to get off. Slipping gently off of her silken fur, he touched the ground with his bare feet. It was cold, but not too uncomfortably cold, and he found he could walk even though he had been riding for hours. He quickly gave the beautiful mare a pet on the muzzle before turning to the entrance of the great tower.

Epona waited patiently and loyally behind as the king approached the Tower of Hera. The mighty structure seemed foreboding to look upon, but the king knew that he had no choice but to enter. The great horse brought him here for a reason…an important one, if it meant taking him away from his suffering people. The bright light in the east at the edge of the mountains that surrounded Greenholme was a despairing thing to look upon, and every second away from his people was like a strike to his heart.

_Well_, the king said to himself. _I was brought here for a reason. Gods and Goddesses, I do not care whether you bless me or judge me poorly…just help me rescue my people. I will give everything…even my very soul…for their aid._

Without a look back, he walked through the opening into the tower.

To be continued...

* * *

**Kerian**: Well, although Epona's a pretty big character in the whole story, she's not the biggest part of this whole fanfic. Sure, she'll play a vital role later, but you're all just going to have to wait and see just how big of a role she is, and the even bigger role of his majesty!

I've described a lot of lands in this story. Since it takes place quite a few years before the Imprisoning War in Ocarina of Time, a lot of the geography is different. The Gerudo Valley is indeed a valley, and not a desert. Lake Hylia didn't exist; instead, it was a part of an even bigger freshwater basin known as Lake Everglass, which (according to my story) spanned quite a big distance to the south. The jungles of Southbound is the area south and east of the great lake, and is mentioned in my actual Clan Wars fic that I'm working on. Also, the dark land in the east was originally explained earlier in my profile, though it's probably not going to be mentioned again for a long while...at least, until the actual Clan Wars is around. Until then, you all have to wait and see.

I often find myself listening to the score from World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King whenever I write. It's great music; Blizzard really outdid themselves when making the scores for World of Warcraft and its predecessor, Warcraft III. The fact that the music itself is all in instrument form instead of altered for gaming use (to allow more space for gaming) is even greater. All in all, I can listen to Warcraft music for months and not get bored. Of course, that's mostly because it's got a lot of variability, and there's a lot of music...lol.

Okay, I guess that's about it for now. No big author's notes and no spoilers...other than you guys are going to be mesmerized by the next update. Until then, me out!

-Kerian


	4. Chapter 3: The Pantheon

**The Legend of Zelda**

_The Clan Wars: Rise of Dethl_

Chapter 3: The Pantheon

* * *

Burning. Burning…all was burning…

Grand Farrow was aflame. The whole western side of the city was in ruins, and the border wall between the dark side and what little of Greenholme was left standing was beginning to crumble. The castle was being stormed by soldiers, bringing forth their bows and preparing their catapults. All aimed over towards the west, where the demon gorged itself and was laughing.

The queen was in her labors. She wept as her maidens carried her through what was left of the city. A few soldiers escorted her and her servants through the city to somewhere that they could be safe, all the while doing their best to defend what was left of their home. The queen wept not from childbirth, but from sorrow. No pain was greater than that in her heart, for she knew very well that her husband was as good as dead.

The soldiers charged upon cavalry at the monster, wielding spears and charging blindly towards their doom. Nightmare laughed at the sight of the puny insects running towards him like ants trying to defend their hill from the flames of a brushfire. With a mighty swing of his arm, half of the cavalry was gone; completely absorbed into his body. The other half fell from his powerful eye beams, completely disintegrated from his powerful magic.

Arrows and stones from catapults flew from the castle. Nightmare did not move or even flinch as they struck. However, all were surprised when he absorbed the weapons…and shot them back. Arrows flung through the air and struck out at those who tried to stand up against the beast, while stones flung from catapults returned to their senders and brought them down low. Few survived, and blood ran red like rivers across the city.

The few villagers on the opposite side fled for their lives. Those who were lucky enough to have left before this chaos and destruction were the ones who could honestly say that their lives were still intact, for even these villagers were not immune to Nightmare's wrath. Landslides caused by the beast blocked their paths; crushing many and leaving the rest stranded in Greenholme…perhaps for good. Nightmare roared in triumph and began to take out what was left of the walls, destroying all in his path.

"We must get the queen out of the country!" one of the maidens shouted, "We need to get her away before she releases the baby!"

"It's too late," one of the guards said, "The pass is blocked, and the only other way out is too rocky and steep for a woman about to give birth! We have to get her into one of the shelters!"

"The shelters were taken out by the monster when we launched the first salvo of arrows!" another guard shouted, "All is lost! We are doomed! Damned by the Goddesses…curse them all!"

The queen listened quietly to the men even in her weeping. She felt like cursing her creators herself, but she suddenly had an epiphany…even in the destruction, all was not lost. If there was a chance that she could save those she loved, her people…her family…she would do it.

"The-there is…" she hissed in pain between every word that she spoke, for the child was coming fast, "There is one place…Uhnnn!...that we can go. The castle dungeons run deep…aah!...into the bedrock. We must get everyone we can inside!"

"That's impossible, your highness!" the second guard said, "The castle is where the beast is! It'll be too dangerous!"

"No, listen to her!" the first guard shouted, "Would you rather want to die and leave this place in ruins?! Come, my queen! I shall lead you and your maidens there, and guard you with my life. You have my word."

The queen nodded her gratitude. Quickly, the three maidens and a few of the guards and surviving villagers made their way back to the castle. The one guard who doubted the Goddesses just stood there, unsure what to do, and unsure whether to follow or to just accept his fate.

He never had a chance to choose, for at that moment Nightmare had begun sweeping over the eastern side of the city, breathing fire and destroying all in his path.

* * *

The king made his way deeper and deeper into the Tower of Hera. The mighty structure had an aura of ancient proportions that seemed to seep through every stone and every crack in the walls. Carvings that seemed to indicate ancient times past and perhaps even future events lined the hallway that the king was walking through. Though he was naked, he found the temperature to be not too cold, and his discomfort of being without clothes and modesty was soon forgotten.

The inner depths of the tower were filled with ancient artifacts of all kinds. There were trinkets, baubles, busts, and carvings of every shape and size, each more beautiful and attractive to the eye than the next. There were carvings of great dragons with eyes made of gemstones and scales made of rubies, golden gems, sapphires, or even rock as black as the night. The king could not read the cryptic runes that he passed, but he could somehow understand the names of each creature that he passed, simply by looking into their eyes.

They were the Spirits; the guardians of the world. Mighty Demigods in mortal form, they were. Each of them was awe-inspiring to behold, even though they were merely carvings and busts that depicted them. Shrines stood proudly in the hall and in the separate chambers, proclaiming each and every Spirit that was known to the religion of the Hylian people, even those unknown to them.

There was the Great Deku Tree, leader of the people of the Forest. He who guarded the sea of green, who stood taller than the highest pine and broader than the thickest oak. Beside him, placed in row upon row, were two different groups of seeds that had been carved into the likeness of two different races. The first was child-like, very detailed and built out of green hazelnuts; fresh and ripe and still as full of life as they were when they first dropped. The second was wilder in appearance; strange, gangly things that looked more like imps, but still retained a childish appearance. They were carved out of walnuts that were old and worn; though the smell that wafted from them revealed a sense of oneness with nature, as if the walnuts were almost ready to release the seedlings within.

The next was a creature called Lord Jabu-Jabu. It was depicted as a creature that was half whale, half shark. One half of the mighty creature was calm, joyous to behold, and seemed to represent the calmness of the water on a clear summer day. It was covered in scales made of fresh sapphires, and had robes of scarlet all across its body. The other half was more bestial; shark-like, like a creature ready to strike or defend whenever the situation calls. Though it still retained some shape of its original, it had sharp teeth of diamonds that were curled into a snarl, and its eye was made of a ruby that seemed to flash like fire. It was covered in scales of turquoise that were sharpened and dangerous to touch. Two other races were standing beneath its mighty fins; on the beast's left, on the shark side, were carvings of a nasty-looking fish race with green scales and sharp, jagged teeth and claws. On the other side, next to the great whale, were a race of creatures made of very bright blue gemstones, which seemed to be calm and had with them a very graceful beauty across their smooth bodies.

There were many other Spirits that the king had passed. Some of them he recognized, like the Spirits of Light; who stood side by side in a row and carried bright gems made of quartz that seemed to shine even in the dark light, without torches or any other form of light to aid them in their mighty glow. Others he did not recognize, but could understand their significance, such as a mighty serpentine dragon covered in red scales made of rubies, and had an ebon helmet with horns like a ram's. The king knew that, right then and there, he was gazing upon a pantheon of Spirits, who were each equals to one another in their own right, and as powerful as the elements themselves.

Finally, the king reached an even greater chamber. In this one, great statues of silver, bronze, and platinum were erected to represent the lesser Gods. One of these silver statues was in the shape of a horse; a mare with a gentle face, rearing up on her hind legs. The king recognized her at once as Epona, the great horse that had brought him to this sacred place, and he bowed low to the mighty statue.

The eyes seemed to gleam. The king suddenly felt a tingling feeling across his waist and down to his upper legs. He looked down and saw that he was suddenly clad in the lower half of a tunic, which covered his groin and hindquarters and gave him the modesty that he, though ignored at the time, greatly missed.

_Yet another great gift that puts me even more in your debt_, the king thought. _When I return, I'll be sure to have my priests permanently add you to the pantheon of our religion._

The king gazed upon the other statues, each of them twice as large as he was. Some of them depicted frogs; one of them wielded a conductor's wand, while the other held a staff that had a carving of a cyclone in full gale at the end. One bronze statue depicted a beautiful woman who sat cross-legged upon a pedestal of what could only be described as sand. She seemed to have an air of pride surrounding her person, though her face was like that of a kind mother. However, the cobra sitting upon the headdress that covered her hair, which was made of rubies, seemed poised to strike at anything that crossed her. The king gulped and decided to bow to this deity as well, knowing that it may be a disgrace to her otherwise.

The king was suddenly clothed in a white sash of the finest cotton and silk. The sash came down to his tunic piece and went up and draped across his right shoulder, and felt very soft to the touch. He silently thanked the great Goddess of sand for her gift, and continued admiring the other statues.

In the end, he felt that it would be a disgrace to leave the room and not give each of the deities their proper credit. He bowed to each of them in turn, and was suddenly bestowed upon by gifts; some large and some small, but each extravagant and beautiful in their own rights. One of the frogs granted him a tunic shirt that was bright green and seemed to breathe in the wind. The other granted him a shirt of chain mail, which fit nicely over his tunic piece and was fit just underneath his cotton sash. A multi-limbed Goddess with beautiful hair and the radiance of a star granted him a scabbard of fine leather and solid metal, while a great dragon God gave him a set of pants as white as snow that went well with his green tunic. The final of this small pantheon, a fairy-like creature that stood just above the doorway leading further into the tower, gave him the greatest gift of all; a golden crown that sat upon his head.

_A gift fitting for a king of kings and a great warrior_, a voice seemed to whisper in his ear.

"I must say," the King piped up, "these gifts are beautiful, though I feel that I am not worthy of any one of them. Why do you bless me so?"

_You have done what many others refuse to do_, the dragon God seemed to whisper. _And it is also something that only our respected peoples have only just done…you grant us respect._

_It is something that many seem to forget to grant their creators in these ages_, the multi-limbed Goddess said. _It is especially common in times of great prosperity, followed by great destruction. Whenever the land is beautiful, or the times are pleasing, mortals often forget us. And when darkness falls swiftly over the land and there is much suffering…we are the ones blamed first…_

_It is a very depressing fact_, the two frog Gods said in unison. _One is more likely to hear a mortal curse his God or ignore the pleas of the faithful than to say a single word of gratitude that they are even alive when times go bad._

_But not all mortals are this way_, the Sand Goddess said. _Those who are the true faithful are the ones most blessed, especially those fallen upon the hardest of times. Even when the darkest corners of the world come rushing in upon them, and hopelessness begins to bang upon death's door, they still believe and still pray for our guidance and aid. It is they who are the most blessed, for even when all is lost they still believe…_

The great fairy spoke again. _You who were raised in a society where only the highest are acknowledged and where many are willing to spit at our temples for the dark evils that have descended upon the land are one of these blessed, for not only do you believe truly in the faith of your own Gods, but you are also willing to acknowledge respect to those beings who, though of lesser importance, are also tied to this world. It is for this reason that we bless you, and it is also for this reason that you have been chosen._

_Chosen?_ "What do you mean?"

_We cannot answer that_, the dragon God spoke. _Our mothers are the only ones who must speak with you of this matter. Pass on, through these doors, and your questions shall be answered…_

The room suddenly became very quiet. The king could tell that he was alone now. The statues lost a bit of their luster, meaning that the Gods and Goddesses had left him to his own. Now clothed and covered in beautiful gifts, he made his way deeper into the tower, climbing up great stairs and passing through extravagant halls full of stone carvings, silk tapestries, paintings of great design and shape, and more busts and statues of beautiful creatures and Gods of ancient times.

* * *

The king made his way further up the tower. Stair after stair, he climbed. His physique could handle it, though he didn't know how much further he had to go. Was he to continue climbing up these great stairs until he reached past the heavens and touched the moon itself? However, he soon found that his questions would soon be answered, for he reached the last of the stairs.

The chamber was enormous. It was a tremendous room that was large enough to fit all of Grand Farrow Castle and still have room. It likely took up a large part of the tower, and though it was made of plain stone it seemed to carry an ambience that was as holy as if standing before a Goddess. Of course, the King paid no attention to the room, for he believed he was standing before a Goddess…three of them.

Three mighty statues of gold stood at the far end of the room. They were tall enough to reach almost as high as the ceiling above, and each when standing from side to side were not more than ten steps away from either sides of the walls. Each looked similar, and yet they had their own differences. One had hair made of what could only be described as whole strings of rubies, and had a much stronger physique than the others, like a proud woman in her prime of life. The one in the center had a more gentle face, with hair like sapphire and a kinder disposition, like a motherly figure. The one on the right had hair of emeralds, and looked wilder and almost stronger than the other two; full of life, and courage.

_The Golden Goddesses_, the king said to himself.

The king was so awed by the three that he bowed low. Upon his knees he went, his body bent low until his face was kissing the ground. He said a silent prayer of thankfulness and awe, for he was stunned, mesmerized, and terrified being in the presence of the three creators of Hylia.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps. They were soft and dainty, like the footsteps of three young virgins who were both frightened and yet courageous; the life of innocence still in their breasts. The king looked up, and was shocked to find that he was not alone.

Three young women walked forward from in the darkness. Each had the appearance as if the had only just come of age, with beautifully fair skin and bright eyes that were filled with the woman spirit. They were attractive in the eye, and if the king was not already married and had a wife with child he would have fallen madly in love with all three of them. They each looked like sisters; indeed, they bore the same skin and the same shine in their eyes, and they could have easily been triplets; but each were much different.

The first, who had walked forward from Din's statue, had hair as red and as glowing as the Goddess' herself. Her eyes glowed brightly like fire, and she stood proudly like a woman of great power and prestige. Her body was covered in red, thin robes, and she moved about like a dancer; indeed, she was not simply walking, but dancing upon the floor. Her right hand held tightly to a large rod, which had a red gem on the top and vines encasing from the gem down to the base.

The second was a fair maiden that came forth from Nayru's statue. She had beautiful hair the color of the blue sky, which flowed like the maiden to the left. Her eyes shown bright blue, like the depths of the great Lake Everglass, and though she stood frail she bore the aura of someone wise beyond her years. She wore a beautiful dress of the brightest blue silk, and a sash of ocean blue cotton. Her voice was pure; in fact, she seemed to be singing even though her mouth was closed. She carried a lyre carved of the finest elm wood, with gold and ornaments acting as the bases holding the strings.

The third maiden was fair, though she was dressed much differently than her sisters. Her hair was also fair, and emerald green, but it was set up into a headdress that was similar to two giant mushrooms of green. Her eyes were like the beautiful leaves of a forest with the sun shining through. Her dress was yellow green and was rather short; having frills both at the base of the dress and the sleeves. She bore the aura of a courageous woman, and her eyes seemed to hold many secrets in the depths of her mind. She bore a strange book with green binding that seemed almost alive, as if it was full of the magic of life.

The three maidens stopped in their tracks as they got within ten feet of the bowing king. Suddenly, they began to glow brightly, as if the door to the deepest and darkest cave had just suddenly opened up. The king covered his eyes as the flash of light was followed by a great explosion, which seemed to rock through the tower and rip through the very fabrics of reality.

When the king opened his eyes, he gazed around in shock. He was no longer in the temple, but floating in what could only be described as the abyss that was space. A great, golden light seemed to shine from somewhere beyond the blanket of stars, and the very objects themselves seemed to float about near where the king was flying. He got up and stood up, finding that there seemed to be some kind of floor where he stood. The three maidens also stood in their exact positions, and were no longer glowing…though the king was no longer gazing upon them.

The golden statues had morphed. No longer where they gold, but they were now the three Goddesses in their true forms. Silken flesh that was fair to gaze upon had replaced the gold that was their likeness in the mortal realm, and their bodies did in fact seem to glow brightly in the color of gold. Din bore beautiful robes as red as her fair hair, while Nayru bore a dress as blue as her eyes. Farore was covered in neither of these; instead, she was covered in a dress of leaves, and her whole clothing was full of the life that she had bore upon the world. The king could not help but feel drawn to this great Goddess; not because of her lack of what mortals defined as clothing, but mostly because he felt a motherly feeling towards the Goddess of Courage, for indeed he knew very well that she was the creator of all life on the world that was Hylia.

"Hail, Aidan, last king of Greenholme," the three Goddesses said in unison, "Hail to thee, for you are blessed among all men, and all descendants of thee are equally as blessed."

"Blessed?" the king asked in confusion, "How is it that I am blessed? Am I blessed because there is an evil at the doorstep of the world? Am I blessed because I released a demon, who even now is ravaging my people and the place that I call home? Am I blessed because my name should be cursed for all eternity as the man who released the beast called Nightmare?!"

"You are blessed for those reasons and more," Nayru spoke up, "for it is for those reasons that we have brought you here upon this grave our, and it is also for those reasons that we bear upon your shoulders…a task."

_A task?_ The king thought.

"No thoughts are secret to us," Din said proudly, "Yes, you are borne upon you a task. It is a task unlike anything, for you are the first to ever be amongst those of the Hylian race to ever be called upon by us when your people, and all the world, are in mortal peril."

"The creature that you face is a monster from a time long forgotten," Nayru spoke in a calm and clear voice, "It is a creature we long thought had been destroyed; an evil that existed far longer than this world has ever seen. It is an evil that feeds off of all that is our creation, but cannot exist in the open air of the sky, where my power runs free…not without severe forms of protection."

"The beast that has formed in your land had learned to absorb the energy and intelligence of the creatures I bred into this world," Farore said with a sense of urgency, "It is without a doubt that it could absorb other forms of energy as well, and use it to its advantage. That is how it managed to take a blessed and sacred relic as one of the Light Arrows, and use it to keep himself in physical form. It is why our magic could not stop him."

"Then why don't you stop him, if you don't mind my asking?" the king asked, "You are the creators of Hyrule; our masters, those who are proclaimed to be fully deserving of our love. Why do you not pass judgment upon this monster?!"

All three Goddesses lowered their heads in shame, and it was enough to almost cause the king to weep for them; for saying such harsh words. He did not, however, and kept his ground.

Nayru broke the silence first. "Alas, we cannot. We are guided by a binding law of my creation that was forged under the extent of a great mistake. When Hyrule was created, and when its sister worlds were formed and when even the greatest of all enchantments was woven into place, we three agreed that we would never intervene with the lives of mortals. Instead, we would watch from afar, and leave the duty to lesser Demigods and Spirits; those who could watch the whole of the world with better care, and would be more than able to focus more upon all the details in such a little time in speed that even we could not accomplish."

"Such an act was folly," Din said angrily, "For not only has it parted us from the world of our creation, but it also has granted more evils to come in the form of either chaos or the bitter temptations of greed or desire to come forth in our absence. Our only means of being capable of descending upon this world is to do so in mortal forms…forms that are much more contained, and strictly following the guiding path that is Nayru's Law."

She beckoned down to the three girls with her right hand. As if to prove Din's point, the maiden directly in front of her waved her own right hand in the exact same fashion.

"Such a burden like this shall end today," Farore said, "for now we have a solution to this crisis."

"The beast known to you as Nightmare goes by another name," Nayru said, "This name is Dethl. It is a creature formed of chaos, back during a time where emotion, righteousness, good, and evil did not exist. This beast is a powerful creature, and its magic is strong and alien to you and your kind. Even worse now is he is empowered by the Light Arrows, and will continue to cause rampage and destruction for as long as he sees fit, and we will be unable to stop him. However, he does have one weakness."

Suddenly, all three Goddesses pointed their right fingers at the king. There was a powerful flash of light, and three bolts of pure energy surged through his body. The king did not feel pain, though the energy that surged through him did cause his body to convulse and writhe as if it were in terrible pain. He did not know how or why this was being done, but before he could ask, he saw something come out of his body.

It was a glowing sphere. It shone with a supernatural light. The king did not know what to make of it, but he did know that it was important. As he was carefully lowered back down, the Goddesses maneuvered the object with their hands and placed it in the middle of the three maidens, who encircled the object.

"The Hylian Spirit," Farore said, "It is something that I made to ensure the survival of your particular mortals as a whole. Though it is unique in its own right, it does have a twin in the north, though the spirit of Man is much more rugged and more built for his own survival. The Hylian Spirit is laced with honor, compassion, and the desire to do what is right. It is a representation of all that is good…the very opposite of evil. Dethl does not know this magic, and he hates it, which is why he intends to crush the Hylian Spirit by destroying all in his path."

"But a weapon made by such spirit," Din said, "will be a weapon unlike any other in all of the cosmos; a blade that would be the bane of all that is evil. Time shall not destroy it, and even if the most powerful enchantments try to weaken it, the weakness will be for only a short time."

"This blade shall have no equal in the entire known universe," Nayru said, "There will be others that will act with a similar purpose, but even they will have only a fraction of power or a fraction of skill or similarity when compared to the might of this blade. It shall be forged from the essence of pure Hylian spirit, and all evil will fear its name!"

The glowing sphere stood still and unmoving. The king watched in fascination as the three Goddesses raised their hands over the three girls. Bolts of lightning shot down, and the maidens were suddenly possessed. Their eyes glowed brightly in their respective colors of fiery red, shining white blue, and flower yellow-green.

The rod in the red maiden's hand suddenly began to change. The gem became a multi-colored hammer, and seemed to glow with all the power of the four seasons. The lyre in the blue maiden's hand suddenly formed a large staff-like end, and the wood suddenly solidified and formed flattened and hardened edges. The green maiden's book began to form a shaft of vines that suddenly became a stave, extending from the bindings of the book, and the book itself began to seal over to protect the pages.

"Thus," the three Goddesses spoke in unison, "we, the Golden Goddesses, shall forge this mighty blade. It shall be the master of all evil, and so Master shall be its name. We grant our divine powers into this mighty sword, forged of the Hylian Spirit. We shall call it, henceforth, the Blade of Evil's Bane!"

The three maidens suddenly began to hammer the glowing sphere with their individual tools. Thunder and lightning shook the air, and light flashed with each strike upon the bright orb. The king covered his eyes, but the light pierced through even the flesh and bones of his arms, and all he could do was watch.

Each strike was like the strike of a gong. All three maidens took their turn in slamming their tools upon the sphere, which slowly began to take shape. The elements began to slowly churn from their tools and pass on into the object, and with each strike a little more energy was put into the weapon being crafted. Glowing lights of red, blue, and green flashed in turn, and though they had been toiling for what seemed like hours, none of the maidens ever dropped so much as a single droplet of sweat.

Suddenly, the sphere had formed itself into the shape of a glowing sword. With each new strike, a piece of the sword suddenly took definable form, and revealed the beautiful, powerful blade that was being created. Slam! Bash! Clang! The three tools continued their monotonous tones. The three Goddesses above began pooling in their energy into the blade, and the glowing weapon began to shine from a purplish glow to bright red, to bright blue, to bright green. Finally, the weapon began to glow pure white; a white so powerful, that it almost threatened to blind the king, though he dared not look away.

At last, all three maidens twisted their tools into the air. With a final cry from each, they struck the blade a final time, the ends of their staffs pointed straight up towards their respected Goddesses. Like lightning rods, the three staffs absorbed the last of the energy shot from the fingertips of the deities, transferring it into the mighty blade that began to almost sign with its first few moments of creation.

At long last, the ritual was over. The three maidens backed away, their staffs transforming back into their original forms. The three Goddesses lowered their hands, and the maidens' eyes reverted to their original respective colors. The blade rose into a vertical position, rising higher until the hilt was just at the height of the king's shoulders. The blade's glow dimmed, though the shine upon the sword was still there. The king could only gaze at it in wonder and awe as the blade hung there in the stillness of space.

The sword had a beautiful blade. It was not entirely silver, instead having a kind of bluish tinge to it; like the color of metal bathed in a bath of solid ice just after it had been tempered. The mighty blade bore blue markings that did not seem to have any meaning other than adding to its unique and beautiful design. The crossguard of the blade was not exactly made of wood, though it was still beautiful to behold nonetheless. It was a purplish, dark-blue in color, and had a solid, golden gemstone of an unknown metal in the exact center where the blade was attached to the hilt. The actual hilt was made of some kind of unidentifiable leather, and had a similar yellow gemstone at the pommel, surrounded by the same purple material as the crossguard.

The blade slowly began to move closer towards the king. The mighty weapon seemed to shine brightly as it made its way closer, as if glowing in anticipation of being held by its destined master. The king could only stare at the blade, admiring how perfect his reflection stood out in the metal; almost like a blade made of the clearest water. The king slowly began to raise his hand, and as he did, his fingers began to grasp the hilt, until he finally held the hilt in his hand.

The blade suddenly shone with a beautiful white light. It seemed to sing like when two metal swords clash together in battle, except it didn't sing like poorly crafted metal, but sung almost like an actual creature was releasing its voice to the world. When the display was over, the blade's light dimmed, allowing the king to hold it high into the air without being dazzled by the spectacular lights.

"You are now destined to wield this sword," Nayru said proudly, "Carry it forth, Aidan son of Archinore, and save the people you so proudly lead."

"Be forewarned," Din warned, "This beast's magic is strong. Dethl had absorbed the energy and forms of many creatures in the depths of time. You must know that, though his forms may change, he is still as vulnerable as he is as his true form."

"Do not be faint of heart as you face this foe," Farore said compassionately, "Look to the sword for guidance, and fight only for the sake of righteousness. However, do not assume that your kingdom can return to its former glory, even if you defeat the beast; for though you will have defeated Dethl, he will not give back that which he takes until his final end, which has yet to be decided."

The air around him suddenly began to fade. The depths of eternal space seemed to warp and writhe, and the king suddenly realized that he was being taken away from this place. The three Goddesses raised their right hands in unison, holding them out in a gesture of farewell.

"My steed, Epona, shall guide you home," Farore's whisper reached his ear, "She has always enjoyed the company of mortals, and thus the company of mortals she shall have. Let her aid you in the coming battle."

"Now," all three Goddesses said in unison, "Go forth, and vanquish the evil that is Dethl. Defeat the evil that is Nightmare!"

The three maidens each blew a kiss to the king, as if granting him one last farewell. And then, as sudden as he had arrived, he was gone.

To be concluded…

* * *

**Kerian**: How many of you are excited that this is the second to last chapter in the whole story? I know I am. This story has taken up a bit of my time, but the good news is that it's short...so, hopefully, everyone will be able to enjoy this success of a story!

Alright, this chapter has a bit of a lesson. I'm kind of a religious man, and I got philisophical with this chapter. Something that many people do is blame God for their troubles, or turn aside when they are doing good in life. I just thought I'd point that out because, regardless of religion, it's a sad fact of life. I'd go on, but I'd probably get this story taken off for preaching, and I certainly don't want that to happen...lol.

Now we see the origins of the Master Sword...I bet you guys liked how I introduced the Oracles from the Oracle of Seasons/Ages games and The Minish Cap. They are going to have quite an impact when the actual Clan Wars fanfic comes out. Since their names are similar to the names of the Golden Goddesses, I wanted to give them a unique origin, the same way I made a unique origin with Epona. However, I'm not going to delve into how they become what they are today until the Clan Wars fanfic, so we'll just have to wait on that and see where it goes.

So, now that the king (I couldn't last without giving him a name, so I decided to flash one out just because) has the Master Sword, a great horse, and some clothes and a will to kick some butt...All in all, a great chapter. Now, all we need to do is see it get finished...until the final chapter, me out!

-Kerian


	5. Chapter 4: The Final Battle

**The Legend of Zelda**

_The Clan Wars: Rise of Dethl_

Chapter 4: The Final Battle

* * *

The king stood upon the barren rock that was the top of the mountain. The Tower of Hera had disappeared, having vanished to some other place where only the Goddesses could tell. The king bore the sword in his left hand, standing upon the mountain top, all alone…

Well, perhaps not entirely alone.

A familiar nudge against his shoulder told him that someone had been waiting for him. Turning around, he gently patted Epona's muzzle with his free hand. The horse snorted happily with the attention, and promptly turned about and presented her side, allowing the king to slip on. He did so, hopping onto her back and holding tightly to her mane.

"Alright, girl," the king said, his face set in determination and resolve, "The time has come. To Grand Farrow!"

The horse reared back her body and neighed, letting her front legs kick the air before she suddenly dove. The king held tightly as she dropped down to the bottom of the mountain, rushing through the mist and fog until they reached the bottom. Like a shooting star, the mighty horse galloped at top speed, returning east to Grand Farrow at all the speed she could muster.

_The time has come, Dethl_, the King said to himself. _You have laced your shadow over my people for as long as time itself. You killed my ancestor, and murdered my people. You ravaged my kingdom and left it in darkness, and now your time is up._

Epona's speed increased as they passed through the mountains and began to enter the dark, black plain that was once the green expanse of Greenholme. The fires of Grand Farrow could be seen off in the distance, furthering the king's ever expanding resolve.

"The Nightmare's reign shall end!" the King roared.

* * *

Grand Farrow was in ruins. Screaming, shouting, cries of pain…all of them tore at the night air. Nightmare's wrath burned through the whole of the city. The king could see it all, and hear even more, even as he and Epona approached the barren grounds that were once Dethl's prison. The king drank the whole sight in as they continued their breakneck pace across the barren dust plains of Greenholme.

The night sky seemed to further the dark mood. Men let loose their arrows in a vain attempt to draw the monster away from the castle. Swords that were drawn were absorbed into the flesh of the creature, before used against their own masters in a gory display of blood and metal. Moans and cries of pain flew through the air alongside the crackling flames that ate at the ruins and the decaying remains of Hylians who could not escape in time.

The king listened to it all, and vowed retribution. Master Sword in hand, he vowed that he would never rest nor enter the gates of heaven until he had defeated this evil at long last. He vowed this as arrows flew through the air. He vowed this as eye beams brought great flames upon the land. He vowed this even as Nightmare himself let loose his hell-quaking cackle of fury…he, King Aidan, would not stop until he vanquished Dethl.

There was a silence, and then a bloodcurdling scream ripped through the wind.

The king recognized the voice instantly, and his heart suddenly froze into ice. The scream belonged to the woman he loved…she was in pain, in despair, in anguish…and Nightmare's cackle seemed to confirm her course of fate.

"My queen…Rose…NO!!!"

The king did the one thing he would have never done had he been in the right mind and remembered he was riding atop a goddess of a horse; he kicked at her flank. Nay, he kicked at her flank _hard_.

Rockets had not been invented in Hylia at that time, and would not be invented for at least another 5,000 years. However, Epona showed that no rocket or bolt of lightning could outpace her, and went so fast that she literally was flying between each step. The time between the center of what was once the dark forest and the castle was severely fractioned, and, with sword drawn and pointed straight ahead, the king guided Epona's body so that she would point straight at the monstrous Nightmare.

Nightmare was more than aware that something of great power was coming in his direction. He quickly maneuvered his body, shape shifting it until he had become a double-helix beast, causing the approaching horse and rider to dive straight through his middle. Reverting back to his true form, he turned about and faced the king and Epona, his eye glaring in confusion.

"What…is this?" Nightmare asked aloud as he gazed upon the king and Epona, who were turning to face the monster, "What sort of manner of insect is this? I have seen many of your kind rushing after me in vain, but for one to come and accept his fate alone…"

He looked long and hard at the man sitting upon his horse. The king's eyes glared with both hatred and a desire for retribution for his people. One glance at those eyes, and Nightmare suddenly realized who it was he was dealing with.

"OOOOAAAHAHAHAHAHAAA! It is you!" he shouted, "Oh, so the little man is wanting to play with the big dog, eh? Decided to escape and run away so that you could try to kill yourself yet again?"

"Nightmare," the king growled, "I have come to deal with you once and for all. No more shall you bring death and despair to my people. Your reign of darkness and tyranny is over, and it will be over in only one possible way…by dying at my hand. I will not stop until I end your unholy life, and bring peace to this land!"

"Peace?" the beast growled, "You'd be more successful finding it in pieces. Indeed, that is how I am to leave this place, just as I have left…your bride."

The king felt his heart drop. What did the demon mean?

Nightmare chuckled. "Your bride was with child, yes?" he hissed, "Perfect…the babe was more than an enticing meal, and your bride…was chewy. I ended up spitting her all over the place. Did you not hear her scream her final moments, just before I rid her of the parasite in her womb? Oh…such glorious pain and suffering."

The king felt as if the whole world had simply vanished from existence. It couldn't be. His queen, Rose, had died…and, their child…

It was almost too much. He felt his body sag, and he almost was about to slip off of Epona. However, the horse simply cocked her ears back and pawed at the ground, letting mist lurk from her body and strike the man back in his senses. Clearly, he had forgotten he was in the presence of a Goddess?

_Do not let the dark one's words trick you_, the mare spoke in his mind. _He does not have your child and wife in his belly. He lies…trying to deceit you. Have none of it, or you disgrace the very weapon that you hold in your hands…You must fight, for we all are counting on you!_

The king looked down at the gentle mare. She bobbed her head once, emphasizing her words. The king gazed at the sword in his hand, staring at the pitiful reflection peering back at him.

How wretched he looked. The words of the demon were enough to strike him down to the level of the lowest belly crawler. He gripped the sword tightly, his resolve returning. Regardless of the fate of his wife, he would not let that monster live to see another sunrise.

"You will pay, demon!" the king shouted, "YOU SHALL FALL BEFORE MY BLADE!!!"

"MUAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH!" the beast yelled, "Have you learned nothing, mortal? No weapon of your kind can hinder me! I AM—"

"DIE, DETHL!"

Epona had charged while Nightmare had been speaking. With the Master Sword drawn in his hand, the king called upon every last ounce of courage and strength in his body. The horse moved in close, and just as the beast began his next sentence, the king sliced at the closest piece of the monster's body.

There was a flash of blinding light; a hiss, like that of a volcanic vent. There was the smell of the dankest, foulest sulfur, and the feeling of black, tarish blood. The sword had barely touched the beast before causing the mighty creature's body to become singed and completely cut cleanly through.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!" the Nightmare roared. It hissed in pain and bent itself forward, gazing with its single eye at the hole that had formed in its snake-like stalk. It glared at the wound, and suddenly growled, its amusement converted to sheer hatred.

"Rrraaaachk! What kind of foul, cruel sorcery is this?!" the demon growled.

The king called Epona to a halt, raising the bright, silvery blade of the Master Sword for all to see. The survivors cringing in the wreckage of the city could see the mighty blade as it glimmered in the light of the moon and flames. The bright light was enough to make the demon cringe as it gazed upon the blade.

"This is the Master Sword, the Blade of Evil's Bane!" the king shouted in a voice that could be heard by all, "It is a blade forged by the hands of the Golden Goddesses, using the holy might of the Hylian Spirit as the source of the blade's power. It represents all that is good…all that is holy upon this good earth. By this blade, and by Din's power, Nayru's wisdom, and the courage of Farore, we shall fight…and only one of us will live on to see the morrow!"

Dethl gazed long and hard at the king. Suddenly, he gave forth a mighty shout, which was like a cry of fury combined with the snarling of a rabid predator and the bellowing of a charging bull. Its eye opened wide and launched a series of powerful eyebeams at the king below.

And with that, the fight had begun.

* * *

Nightmare launched powerful eyebeams at his prey. The king and Epona rode at full speed, almost taking to the sky at times as they rode. With the Master Sword in hand, each of the powerful eyebeams were easily deflected and cast harmlessly aside. Dethl roared and screeched with each unsuccessful attempt. The two of them were just too fast for him to handle.

It had been going on like this for almost an hour now. The king managed to get several good hits while making passes, but already he was becoming too predictable. The demon was almost able to counter his every move, and the king had to spend more time blocking blows from the eye beams instead of striking his own. In the end, he had to rely upon Epona's agility and overall speed to keep himself from being immobilized by the beast.

"So," Dethl growled, "You wish to play a game of chase? Fine…let's play!"

Nightmare suddenly began to change shape. His arms began to become re-absorbed into his body, and folds of skin began to grow outwards from his sides. His snake-like growth that kept him above ground became a tail, and his arms, which had shrunk, had become powerful legs. When his eye closed again, it didn't open as one, but four eyes that were much smaller but equally as frightening to behold. The spots where his eyes once stood suddenly began to extend into two growths, which grew and grew until they became extendable necks. Two heads, each with mouths that had row upon row of sharp teeth, formed on the ends of these necks, and the two flaps of skin on the side developed into mighty and terrible wings.

The king gazed in awe and in terror, for the creature named Dethl had now become…a Gleeok! The Gleeoks were dragons of legend; said to be two twin beings trapped in the same body. Both have different strengths and weaknesses, which cross each other out at the center, but neither can live without the other. They were powerful beasts, thought to have been extinct during some forgotten age, but still remembered even in Hylian lore as vicious monsters.

One of the heads gazed down at Epona and roared. Twin jets; one of fire and one of ice, shot out from the maws of the beast as they homed in on the king and Epona. Epona quickly took off, mist enveloping her body as she did, continuing her speed until she suddenly leaped into the air and flew. The king kept guiding her as she flew into the sky above the city of Grand Farrow, watching behind to see what their quarry would do.

At first, all that the demon-cum-dragon did was launch jets of flame or bolts of ice, but it soon began to spread its wings and start to fly. Once it did, it suddenly increased its speed until the monster was at almost the same exact speed as Epona in flight. The king swiftly kicked back at the deity horse's flank, driving her to go as fast as her mortal body would allow.

Tall buildings that had survived the wrath of the beast were quick to fall. The king would fly either above, around, or through the cracks of the buildings, keeping them between himself and the monster. Dethl, meanwhile, would plow straight through in indifference, roaring and screaming as he launched jets of flame and ice at his foe. The king was swift to maneuver Epona away from their foe, but the beast just kept coming.

Finally, one of the snapping jaws came close enough to attack. The one on the left struck with all of its might, just coming within inches of devouring the king and his steed. The king had used their speed and agility, flying around the beast's two heads for a while, before the king suddenly struck with the Master Sword. A long, agonizingly painful slice managed to pierce through the head's brain, rendering it completely useless. As the second head came up to strike, the king maneuvered as close as he dared, before swiftly leaping off of Epona's back, and bringing his sword down hard!

_SLASH!_

"RRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"

The second head was completely cut off; rended free from the neck that it once called home. The king watched in mid-air as the beast's head flew off, screaming in its death throes, before becoming incinerated from being split from its body. The king quickly grabbed onto Epona's side and flung himself back on top before gazing back at the rest of the demon's body.

The headless mass fell from its point high in the sky before landing with an almighty crash! However, it was obvious that Dethl was not stopping there. The moment that the body hit the ground, it began to move and take shape once more. Suddenly, it had become a gigantic blob that seemed to squirm and writhe in the crater that it had formed on the ground. A single eye opened up in rage and gazed all around before it finally caught sight of the king riding upon Epona in the sky.

With a quick shudder of its whole body, the demon suddenly transformed yet again. This time, it had become a tremendous beast; a gigantic, spider-like creature with eight legs, two tremendous pincers, a pair of nasty-looking fangs, and a gigantic eye in the very center.

Gohma.

Epona quickly landed upon the ground as powerful barbs suddenly were launched from the creature's maw. Still keeping to her speed, she let the mortal upon her back guide her as Dethl approached with all the speed of a tremendous Wind Scorpion attacking its prey. With his claws slicing through the ground like deadly knives, Nightmare continued his approach; his fangs gleaming and his maw drooling with anticipation.

The two pincers suddenly launched forward. The king barely managed to duck in time as the monstrously sharp limbs came and snapped at his back. A piece of his chain mail had been cut to ribbons, rending the garment useless against this assault.

In a quick and sudden movement, the king drew back on Epona's mane and caused her to stop in her tracks. Dethl kept running and suddenly went head over heels until he suddenly was impaled by a large, wooden beam that had fallen off of the castle. Though he appeared dead, the fight wasn't over yet. He quickly transformed once more, his whole body completely becoming serpentine and his legs shrinking and splitting apart. Suddenly, his body became segmented, and his fangs became like sharp, deadly scissors that clanged together like a tremendous claw. With his huge, white, triangular eyes, it gazed down at the king and gave out an insectoid screech.

Lanmola.

Nightmare suddenly leapt into the air. Like a mighty serpentine dragon, he spun about and maneuvered his body until he was roughly above the king. Quickly guiding Epona away from the monster, they barely moved away in the nick of time as the beast drove its skull into the earth, completely piercing through the crust and descending deep below as it began to tunnel into the depths.

The king watched the ground carefully as the last piece of the Lanmola was sucked beneath the depths. Large rises in the ground indicated the beast's approach. However, looks could easily be deceiving, and the king knew for a fact that it would be unwise to run. He and Epona just stood there…and waited…

Suddenly, a larger mound in the earth suddenly burst forth as the Lanmola form of Dethl burst from the depths. The king quickly struck, letting his sword sink deep into the flesh of the beast. Dethl roared again as he crashed onto the ground and suddenly extended his powerful claws, striking at the king as if his huge legs were spears.

The king did his best to fight back, striking and parrying even as some of the legs managed to make their mark. Blood began to fall from the king's body as he cut and struck, parried and slashed, bled and delivered blood with the beast.

Finally, Dethl knocked the king completely from Epona's back. The deity backed away, knowing full well that she would only be in the way as her mortal form at this point in time. The king slashed at the beast's leg before letting the Master Sword slowly cut through the stump of the leg until he reached the abdomen. With an almighty war cry, he completely sliced through the beast's abdomen and segments, rending the monster in half.

Even then, the Nightmare wasn't finished. The monster suddenly leapt into the sky, carrying his torn segments with him. As he did, he made one final roar of triumphant defiance before suddenly splitting its body into almost a thousand smaller pieces, completely scattering itself across the battlefield.

The king looked around. The monster had gathered itself up into a pool of tar-like gunk. It suddenly began to move around, feeling the earth as if it were some kind of mutant snail, searching for something in particular that was on the ground. Suddenly, the pools came upon the remains of armor…the entire advanced guard of Grand Farrow, their bones turned into dust through either fire or eye beams.

The black slime grabbed at the armor and began to form again. This time, as it transformed, it transformed inside of the armor, bonding with it and using it to give itself definitive form. The king watched, unmoving and emotions unchanging as the beast began to transform itself into a thousand monstrous warriors; bearing the armor and weapons of his fallen people.

The dark forms stood silent. Suddenly, they each opened a mighty white eye, which made up the center of their faces. The eyes stared at the king in a resolute demeanor as they all stood there…silently…motionlessly.

The monstrous copies of Dethl began to all laugh; their eyes widening in humor. The beast had full confidence that it could defeat this foe, no matter the cost. The king simply stared down his foes, even as he was surrounded by a cacophony of laughing warriors.

Suddenly, the laughing stopped. The beasts stared back at the king, their amusement transformed into hatred. The king gave them the exact same stare, not once moving or showing any sign of weakness even as his cuts bled openly through his ruined tunic and severed chain mail.

The beasts roared and charged. With that first strike from one of the beasts' swords, and with the great cutting motions of the Master Sword, which sung from the heat of battle, the fight had begun anew.

Thunder struck the sky as rain poured over the ever-burning town. Many more hours passed after the final transformation of Nightmare into an army of Hylian-like monsters. Since then, the king had fought against the thousand strong warriors ceaselessly, never once caring about how tired he felt or for his own safety. With the Master Sword as his guiding light and courage, he did not once falter or give quarter to his enemies. The mighty Blade of Evil's Bane sung as it struck, blow after blow, completely destroying each and every beast and sending their bodies back into the ash from whence they came.

Spears soon struck from out of nowhere, swords slashed on all sides, and maces with chains flung about in a fury, but the king fought to keep his foes from defeating him. All around, his enemies tried to swarm him, only to be pushed back by the power of the Master Sword's holy might. Though the king received his own wounds; cuts, bruises, gashes and the like; his own blows were much more fatal than anything that the Nightmare soldiers could give out.

The hisses and whistling cries of arrows suddenly rended the night air. The king had barely time to defend himself as at least a hundred of the things struck from all sides. Though the majority missed, and many more were deflected by his sword, some did hit their mark, and his waist and back were peppered with the shafts; more than enough to kill any lesser man.

With a mighty war cry of vengeance, hope, and courage, the king's body suddenly received an adrenaline rush as a last act of desperation and defiance. He began to charge, taking on the offensive as more and more of Dethl's copies attacked on all sides. Black, tar-like blood spilled in the air and on the soil before descending back into the earth.

The rain continued to pour even as the last of the flames went out, almost plunging the whole ruin into darkness. Dethl's counterparts numbered only a hundred by now, for the king had succeeded in driving him back. The battle had taken place in almost a complete circle, from the eastern side of the castle all the way over to the western edge where the battle had begun. The sparseness of Nightmare's soldiers had begun to allow openings in their ranks, providing the king with the last bit of hope he needed to deal with the monsters.

Right and left, he parried sword attacks, sliced at the shafts of spears, completely rended mace and chains in two, and deflected arrows; all the while trusting upon the Master Sword to guide him in the remainder of the fight. As he continued, he did not notice one of the beasts coming up behind him with a makeshift club from the wreckage, using great strength in an attempt to bring the thing down upon the victim.

Epona was not forgotten, nor did she forget to aid her partner. She catapulted into the would-be assassin and pounded her hooves upon him, charging them with divine might. It was enough to defy Dethl's power, and the beast was swiftly gone. She took out several of the soldiers all at once before giving the king a nod. The king nodded back in thanks before swiftly returning full out to the battle.

At last, only a dozen or so remained. They all attempted to swarm upon him at the same time, but the king would have none of it. Time stood still as he made an almighty spin attack that cut through each of the beasts; from the waists of some of the monsters to their chests, to their heads, and back down to the waists again. All of them completely sliced into ribbons, their bodies twitching once more before returning to the ash from whence they came.

The king felt himself breath heavily as he turned about. As he suspected, there was one left. This final Nightmare had turned tail and ran, threatening to transform into something that would allow it to run swiftly like a bird.

"Oh no you don't!" the king shouted as he began to make a quick, charging run, "You aren't getting away…not this time!"

The king suddenly tossed the Master Sword. The weapon spun in the air as it headed straight towards the monstrous Dethl, who was even now trying to change into a bird-like creature that was trying to escape the confines of its armor. Upon its own will, it guided itself to the flesh of the beast, and with one final song escaping its sharp edges; the blade pierced the back of Nightmare.

The beast fell head over heels as the sword continued its spin at least three more times before suddenly diving into the earth. The flesh around it slowly began to dissipate into ash until a small strand of tar stuck itself upon the blade of the Master Sword. A single eye formed, gazing about pleadingly as it tried to assert its surroundings.

"Wha…wha-what is this madness?! Let me out!!! RELEASE ME, FOUL SWORD!"

Nightmare could not escape the Master Sword, as if clung to it by the blade's own enchantments. None of Dethl's struggles could free itself as the king came closer to the sword, reaching out and grabbing the hilt before freeing the blade from its spot in the earth.

The king raised the Master Sword high into the air in triumph. Dethl's eye gazed back down at him pleadingly, unable to speak out of fear of what the mighty king would do. Finally, as the king glared hatefully up into Dethl's eye, he spoke out in a loud, clear voice.

"At long last," he shouted, "you are defeated, beast! In the darkest hour of my people, I have freed us of your shadow, and you now sit defeated at the tip of this mighty blade! Know well that you were defeated by the one man who had set you free, and that you will never again strike out at my kind, or ever defeat that which is good! May the Master Sword forever bury you within the earth that you once called home, so that your tyranny will never rise again!!!"

"HEAR ME, FOOLISH MORTAL!!!" Nightmare's scream sliced through the silent wind and rain, "Know now that you have just defeated me for only so long! I will not be gone long…in fact, at least 1,000 years after your death, one with your blood in his veins shall release me from my prison…and I will achieve the chaos that I desire at last!!"

"Then with the Goddesses at my side," the king growled, "I vow to never rest nor enter heaven until I am certain that this world will remain at peace for millennia, and that when you do arrive…you will be conquered just as easily! Never again will I allow you to harm my people…and never again will you look upon the sun…"

The sky suddenly got very dark. Dethl's eye gazed about frantically as he tried to do everything in his power to escape. The king's eyes were filled with resolve as he brought the Master Sword up into the air.

"They say that the night is darkest before the dawn," the king whispered to Nightmare as he let his sword hang in the air between his two hands, "Well…the dawn has come at last to dispel the darkness, Dethl. Now…DIE!!"

The king brought the sword down, striking it point-first into the deep dirt and earth. The blade sunk through the mud and stayed stock still, with only a fraction of Dethl's eye remaining out of the ground. As the sun began to peak out of the eastern horizon, Dethl let out one final scream of defiance.

"_I WIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLL REEEeeeeetuuurrrrnn…_"

Dethl's body began to slink into the ground. As it did, the ground began to rumble and quake. The earth beneath the Master Sword suddenly began to rise out of the ground. As the king stepped back out of the way, he watched to his upmost surprise as the ground rose higher and higher, until it suddenly burst.

A gigantic egg; white with sky-blue stripes; had appeared out of the ground. Huge, black roots of tar punctured the earth, as if trying to contain the great mass within the ground. The Master Sword sat upon the top, its end driven in deep into the egg. It shone and glimmered as it got its first glimpse of the morning dawn to the east. The king watched in stunned silence as the egg's upward movements slowed to a stop, its lower half still contained within the rock and earth that was a part of the depths of Greenholme's soil.

Silence gripped the landscape as the rains stopped. A chill wind brushed over the land, kicking up dust and broken slivers of timber and ash that was the only remains of the many buildings that once stood here. Grand Farrow castle, though still intact, was naught but ruins, and was the only thing that remained that told the tale of what had happened to this great city.

"At long last," the king whispered, "The reign of Nightmare has ended."

* * *

The king wandered through the ruined streets and alleyways of Grand Farrow for a while, unsure of where to go or what to do. Epona had wandered off, and the king wondered if he would ever see the great Goddess of horses again. As he moved, he did his best to free himself of the arrow shafts that still punctured his sides, saying silent thanks to the Pantheon that their gifts were more stout worthy and resistant to damage than they appeared.

As he moved, he suddenly heard a quiet sound that pierced through the whispers of the wind. It was a cry, though not one of pain or of suffering…rather, it was of confusion, fright…or perhaps…something more.

It was the cry of a newborn babe.

The king followed the cry throughout the city streets of Grand Farrow. Heading east, he continued his way onwards towards the ruin of the castle. He passed under the broken timbers, the ash-filled gardens that were once full of life, the ominous trees that stood barren and lifeless like stooping sentinels over a graveyard. Though the whole city was drenched in death, the cry continued to make itself be heard, and it grew louder as he continued his journey into the castle and his descent into the dungeons.

Finally, he managed to use the last of the strength he could muster without killing himself, and pushed aside a large pile of rubble. As he gazed inside, he saw something that made his heart leap for joy, his eyes well up with tears, and his soul become filled with the song of hope and love.

His wife sat upon her knees, surrounded on all sides by bowing villagers, whose clothes were in rags and bodies covered in injuries. Epona stood behind the queen, nuzzling her red hair with her nose. The queen gazed up at her beloved with her beautiful blue eyes, smiling even as her eyes were welling up with tears.

In her arms was a small bundle…the source of the crying. The bundle shook as the supposed captive tried to get free of his mother's hold. The babe continued his crying, until he turned and suddenly saw the approaching man…and then he stopped. The king watched in awe as the babe gazed up at him in love-filled eyes, admiring the battle scars and tired muscles of his father.

The king's son was a mirror image of his parents. Indeed, he had the fair skin of the royal bloodline, and his own body had already developed muscles that could be seen even from behind the blanket that clothed him. The babe's eyes were sapphire blue, like his mother's, but already the babe had developed the golden hair of his father. He gazed up at the warrior in wonder, and as the king approached the boy reached up with his hands, as if beckoning for his father to pick him up.

The king obliged. As the queen gently placed their son into his father's hands, the king held the boy up high for all to see. Not once did the boy cry as his father held him up, and a calm and silent smile seemed to creep upon his face. The king gazed lovingly at his son and felt tears form up in his eyes, before giving the babe a loving hug. His wife, who began to rise to her feet, quickly joined in the lovely embrace, and the three heartbeats of that family seemed to be as one.

Epona approached them all and snorted happily. The king turned his attention to the great horse and patted her muzzle lovingly; silently thanking the beautiful goddess. Epona closed her eyes and seemed to smile as she let the king pet her muzzle, before opening them and gazing between the three of them.

_At last, it is over_, the goddess whispered in their minds. _However, your people are crushed and scarred, and this land is forevermore in permanent decay and ruin. No more can your people live here, for this land has become a cursed one thanks to the evil that is Dethl. You must choose what course of action you must take up next, for I fear that staying here will have dire consequences._

Though the queen was confused, the king nodded in understanding. He had already heard the words spoken by the Golden Goddesses; he was King Aidan, the last king of Greenholme. There was no way around it. They could not stay…and they never will.

The king took the child in his arms and beckoned for the others to follow. With the queen by his side, the king led the survivors out of the dungeons and up into the sunlight that was the new dawn over the land. Taking them out of the eastern exit of the castle, he addressed them all in a great voice that could be heard all throughout the city.

"From this point on, we can no longer live here," the king shouted, "We cannot reside and rebuild as we had always done in the past whenever great evil stirred up this land. Greenholme is forever drenched in darkness, and as such we have no choice but to leave this land in darkness…The people of Greenholme shall go forth into the lands of the east, and return to the lands of their forefathers."

The king turned his eyes to the ruin of Grand Farrow and the rest of the western lands beyond. "Henceforth, this land is covered in darkness," the king said, "and so, darkness shall be its name. No longer shall this land be ever again called by the name of Greenholme…now it is Darkholme, the land of eternal dust and despair. All who dwell upon this land shall be cursed in its despair, for no life can ever dwell here in the same way it once did ever again."

The king gazed down at his boy, whose smiling face turned to one of resolve, as if he agreed with his father's words. The king raised his boy up for all to see.

"This land, and the times that it had seen beforehand, will not be forgotten," the king continued, "And my son shall be living proof of this. Henceforth, he shall be named Link, so that he may be forevermore a link to the past that was once this land. Greenholme's heart shall forevermore reside in him, and every third or fourth generation firstborn that is a male of my house shall carry up his name, so that the link will always remain intact."

Everyone watched as the king brought his boy down and gave him to his wife. The boy gazed up silently as his father once more before cuddling closely to his mother, who gazed up at her husband in sadness and forlorn.

He lifted a finger under her chin and gazed into her eyes. "I had made a promise to myself that I would never rest nor enter heaven as long as Dethl is a threat," the king said to her, "so I must remain here while you lead our people back to Hylia. Look for my cousin, the emperor. He shall take care of you and our son. Let him know I wish to make him a baron under his tutelage, and perhaps a knight when he is older."

The queen let her tears fall freely from her eyes. "Aidan," she whispered, "I…will I ever see you again?"

Epona approached the three of them and bobbed her head once to get their attention. _The Goddesses have granted me some foresight into the future_, she said to them. _It is a sad truth that you both will not see each other again in this lifetime, but all is not lost for you. Know now that, within many years in the future, the lines that are Aidan and Rose will come again, and you will be bonded in spirit once more. Perhaps the names, the time, and the land shall be much different, but your hearts will still be the same, and you will be whole again._

Epona looked on to the east, gazing out at the mountains that stood as the boundary between the newly dubbed Darkholme and the lands beyond. _I shall forevermore remain here to help guide the mortals_, she said. _Though my spirit is wild and free like that of all horses that are my children, I will continue to watch over the descendants of the survivors of this land, and I will take special care to watch over the royal line of Grand Farrow. Know this…you and your people have not seen the last of me, and under my watch they are in good hands._

A mist suddenly rose from the ground and enveloped the crowd. The king, queen, and their son watched in awe as the mighty horse reared her body and gave a loud whinny before riding up, and up, and up into the skies of the east, her body enveloped within the gray clouds of dew. When the mist disappeared, she was gone, much to the surprise of the crowd. The king gave a final nod of thanks in the direction she went before turning to his wife.

"I gave you a promise, not long ago, that we would meet again," the king said, "That promise still stands. Take our son, and go east. I will forever be watching your back."

The queen let the tears flow freely. As she cried, the king embraced her one last time. The two of them stood, like two lovers forever parting within the depths of time, never once caring about the villagers whose eyes were still watching their leaders. Lifting his wife's chin, he gave her a final kiss, letting their love and sorrow mix together in their final farewell.

"You make good with your promise, my king," the queen said sadly, "I will be waiting."

"As will I," the king said sadly.

The wind made the only noise that morning as all stood silent and forlorn. Even the babe had stopped his cooing and movement, as he had fallen fast asleep in his mother's arms.

* * *

The king watched as his wife took one last look back before finally passing through the ruined gates of Grand Farrow. Letting resolve take over, he turned around and made his way back west, taking a spear and shield with him as he did. He continued going until he made it to the great egg that held the life force of Dethl, bound captive by the Master Sword. There, he turned his back to the monster and sat still, patiently waiting.

Thus he stayed like this for hundreds of years. Many Hylians who had heard the news took it upon themselves to re-colonize Grand Farrow, only to be turned back by the curse of the land and by the phantom that watched over the ruins. Over time, a new race appeared on the borders of Grand Farrow, lurking in the shadows and living off of the land in their own way. Though they never bothered with the egg or the phantom, they did manage to take the stones of Grand Farrow Castle and use it for their own. The king watched this as the land of Darkholme continued growing ever darker, until the day was always twilight; never once being touched by the sun.

Still, he waited. He guarded the egg patiently. He could hear the whispered voices of Nightmare from within, and it was only by the strength of his will that he remained free of insanity. Whatever gift of immortality the Goddesses had given him was proving well useful, for he remained alive and intact for the next 3,000 years.

And thus, Dethl did not once stir from his egg.

_

* * *

_

_Hyrule, Lon Lon Ranch. 94 AIW, LotS Timeline_

A calm breeze filled the air around the ranch. The horses busied themselves with either play or grazing in the corral as the afternoon dragged on. Ranch hands were constantly at work; mending the roofs, bringing fresh straw into the stables, attending to the animals inside that weren't out grazing in the grounds nearby. A big, burly man with brown hair was busy talking to one of the ranch hands in particular, who was scrawny and possessed a strange, curling mustache.

"It's sad indeed," the burly man said, "Hard to believe that such a thing could happen in such a time of peace as this."

"Believe me," the second man said, "Both my brother and his wife died due to the raid on their village. They left me with some of their valuables, of course…and one in particular that leaves me in a pickle. I'm not sure if I can properly take care of her. Do you think you and Nalon can help out?"

"I wouldn't be a good caretaker of this ranch if I didn't," the burly man replied, "Of course I can. Actually, it's a good thing you brought her over already, because my own boy needs a playmate himself. Most of the other ranch kids are either too young, too old, or are too busy doing their own thing to give him much attention, and since he's been taking to…climbing things…Look, I think it would be great if we got them both together. Maybe she'll, I don't know, bring him down to earth a bit."

"Hardly!" the second man guffawed, "That little rascal of a girl treats the world like her own personal jungle! I seriously doubt that they'd actually calm each other down if they met. If anything, they'll probably tear the ranch to pieces!"

"Now, Inigon, I seriously doubt that," the first man said, "I mean, it'll be a very hard job indeed to tear this place down with all of the serious renovations going on."

"All thanks to your grandfather-in-law," the second man, Inigon, said, "If it weren't for him helping fix this place, I doubt it would even be standing anymore. He sure did a good job with the place. It's too bad he died six years back."

"Yes, it was a sad day for all of us," the burly man said, "That was just about a year after my son was born. Say…where is he, anyway?"

* * *

A small boy was busy trying to climb up the boughs of a big oak that had been growing in the ranch grounds. He had already made it up to the second branch, using his natural flexibility and good grip to keep himself from falling. He was just about to twist himself around and stand up when a voice like the cooing of a dove shouted out from below.

"Hello, there!"

The distraction wasn't exactly a big one, but it was enough for the boy to lose his grip. With a yelp, he fell flat on his back on the ground, groaning and shaking his head to clear the fog forming around his eyes.

"Hi! What's your name?"

The boy looked up and suddenly gasped. There, standing in front of him, was a girl just barely a year younger than he was. She was wearing a pretty blue skirt that went down to her knees, and she also wore a sleeveless, white shirt, which showed her arms cleanly as she crossed them over her chest. She gazed down at the boy with her bright, sapphire eyes, and the breeze picked up her beautiful red hair so that it seemed to cling to the wind.

"Uh…" the boy could only say.

The girl giggled. "What's the matter? Can you talk?"

The boy growled in indignity as he tried to sit up and brush dust off of his overalls. "Of course I can talk!" he said.

"Well, then what's your name?"

"My name's Link," the boy said, "I don't think I've seen you around here before. What's your name?"

"My name's Rose," the pretty girl said, "I'm new here. My uncle brought me over to stay for a while. It's nice to meet you."

She offered him her right hand. The boy gazed at it for a couple of seconds before reaching out with his own and taking it. As they shook hands, the boy could not help but notice how soft her skin was…

"Hey, how good at you at hiding?" the girl asked.

"Uh…I'm pretty good; I mean, I often get lost when I do every now and then," the boy said as he scratched at the back of his neck nervously.

"Great!" she said, "Let's get some of the other kids together and play hide and seek! You're it!"

The boy couldn't protest as she took off. It wasn't that he didn't want to…it's just that he couldn't. The way she gazed into his eyes like that…it was unbelievable.

_Well, it looks like my tree can wait_, the boy thought. "Hey, Rose! Wait up!"

The End (Epilogue to come)

* * *

**Kerian**: Well, that's it. There's an epilogue coming, but other than that...it's finally done!

I'd like to thank everybody that has read this so far. Thus far, this is my first real success on . Everything else that I wrote that has been actually completed were oneshots, and since only a few people look at those, I don't think they really count. lol.

Now we see the origins of Link, and one of my OC characters. Rose made her debut in Legacy of the Sages, my biggest fanfic. For those of you who have read it already, you know that Link and Rose were childhood friends who eventually fall in love. Since Rose is otherwise a counterpart of Malon I wanted to give her an origin story that would make better sense. Otherwise, she might as well have been named Malon in the first place...lol.

Darkholme is a specific land in my mythos of Legend of Zelda that's a realm full of some of the darkest creatures in creation. It will be featured in my Clan Wars fanfic that will be eventually posted, and it will be the focus of a lot of the future short stories I'll be making based off of the Clan Wars. Now, if any of you have played on the Gameboy game, Link's Awakening, and its Gameboy Color counterpart, Link's Awakening DX, you'll know that Dethl's the final boss there. So, how did Dethl wind up inside of the mind of a Wind Fish? Where's the Master Sword going to end up from here on out? We'll eventually all see where it goes when I start up the Clan Wars and begin posting, but until then, we'll all have to wait and see...

I'm going to call it good with the Clan Wars stuff after I'm done with the epilogue, and the next thing I'll be updating will be my Spirit Tracks Novelization. After that, it'll be Legacy of the Sages, followed by probably my eventual idea for a Legend of Zelda: Treasure Island fanfic, and then maybe some Secrets of the Lost Woods. However, I will tell you one thing is guaranteed; this isn't going to be the last Clan Wars short story ever made...But until I do start posting, me out!

-Kerian

p.s. Something's screwy with my computer, because it won't save the stupid title so that it's centered...:(


	6. Epilogue: Realm of Vampires

**The Legend of Zelda**

_The Clan Wars: Rise of Dethl_

Epilogue: Realm of the Vampires

* * *

_3,000 BIW, Darkholme_

The ruins of Grand Farrow Castle stood ominous over the landscape. Dark clouds filled the air, creating a form of twilight over the land. Not a single blade of grass grew, and only clouds of fine dust seemed to make up the weather in this place. Such was the land of Darkholme, as it had been for the past 500 years.

Two silent figures in fine clothes walked through the landscape. They kicked aside the old pieces of stone rubble, their boots pushing through the dust like silent wraiths. They continued their way through the darkness and towards the ancient castle, where they began to look about for a way inside.

"If the legend is correct, this castle should be full of ancient treasures and artifacts," one of the intruders said.

"Yes, indeed," the second replied, "And just think…with them at our side, the wars beyond will be won by the hands of our people, not by the foolish grip of the Hylian race! That legendary blade that everyone keeps saying is here would be very useful to our cause."

"Blade of Evil's Bane…phaw!" the first one said, "As if! If anything, it is a blade that is of great power, and in the hands of one who knows how to use it, it can have even greater potential!"

"Which is why a vampire should use it instead of a Hylian," the second one said with a flashy smile.

The two of them chuckled as they continued looking for a way in. As the darkness began to change from twilight to nightfall, the two vampires lurked in the shadows in an attempt to find the right door without being seen. As they both circled, none could find a way into the castle; only rubble and solid rock walls blocked their way in.

They were about to give up when one gave a shout and stared into the gloom. A mist had formed over the dust plains to the west. The darkness seemed to invite them in, and not even the two vampires could see what lay beyond, regardless of their means of seeing in the dark. As the two of them approached, they felt cold and clammy to the point that it had grown to a discomfort for them. Such a thing was frightful for their kind, for they were vampires and were used to this kind of feeling.

As they continued, they both suddenly stopped. There, standing before them, was a white egg covered in wavy, sky-blue stripes. Though dirt, rock, and solid earth covered the bottom, it did not hide the large, black tentacle-like roots that dug deep into the ground. A mighty sword with a blue-purple hilt and a silvery blade, completely untarnished over time, stood silently as its blade held its ground in the depths of the egg.

"This is it!" one of the vampires shouted, "This is it! The Master Sword…and now, it's ours for the taking!"

"I think we should leave," the second one whispered, "Dark is this place. I don't like it."

"You are a vampire, and you are afraid of the dark?!" the first one laughed, "Come on! Help me out with this thing!"

He leapt up with incredible strength and landed on top of the egg, his back facing the west. He reached down in an attempt to pull the Master Sword out of the object. As he did, he reached down with one of his hands and attempted to grab the blade for better balance.

_HISSSS!!!_

"AAAAHH!!" The vampire fell over backwards, clutching his hand in pain. As he did, he fell down flat on the ground, though his thud wasn't like that of landing on dirt…but that of landing on something else.

"What in the…Are you alright?!" the other vampire shouted.

The companion of the first vampire circled the egg and stared in shock at his comrade. The vampire was holding his hand tightly, and powerful burns as well as a clean cut had formed on his clawed appendage. However, that did not stop him from looking down…and gasping.

The vampires gazed in shock at the fact that the first one had landed upon a pile of bleached, decayed bones. The bones belonged to that of many races; some Hylian, some Human, some even of the Goron or Lizalfos variety. However, some of the most common of them all were bones that happened to have very big wings, claws on the hands and feet, and sharp, jagged fangs.

Fellow vampires.

There was a sound that was much like a whisper. The two vampires listened carefully. It was almost as if it was coming from within the egg itself. They both turned towards the white and blue object, which stood like a dead sentinel that seemed to gaze over the western horizon. The whispers became clearer, and they seemed to be coming from an evil far older and more terrifying than they could ever imagine!

_**Draw…the blade…Draw the sword…Release me…set me free…RELEASE THE NIGHTMARE!!!**_

A spear suddenly flew up over the egg and landed straight in the bone pile, barely missing the first vampire by inches. The two of them shouted out in terror, and wasted no time in retreating. With a terrible cry of fear, they opened up their powerful wings and took off, leaving the evil egg and returning east; never to return.

A ghostly figure covered in the armor of a king approached the egg from the castle, having had hidden himself in an unseen entrance. He had been watching the beasts for some time now, and knew how to deal with their kind. Knowing that they would be back, he walked over to the egg and pulled his spear from within the wreckage of bones. As he did, the whispers came into his own ears from within the egg.

_**Release…me…Draw the—**_

"Oh, shut up!" the king growled.

The egg was silent once more, but not for long. The king knew that others would be drawn to the whispers of the monster known as Dethl, and he knew that only he alone could keep the beast at bay.

_I don't have much longer_, the king thought. _Already, my body has become little more than a shadow, and all that keeps me physical anymore is this armor. Of course, Dethl knows this. I must resist entering the afterlife. I can, and I will. I will continue my vigil until I know in truth that the land will be free from this beast forevermore!_

The king gazed up at the castle ruin. A tower had recently fallen the day before, and he had watched as the vampires had come to collect the stones. He sighed. How, when, and why they managed to get to Darkholme, he could not say. However, he did know this much…if Dethl was to remain within his prison, the king must never leave his post.

_It's going to be another long millennium_, the king thought. _I just know it._

* * *

**Kerian**: Well, that's that. It's finally over. As of now, with the submitting of this final chapter, I will have clicked on the "story complete" box and mark this epic fable officially over. Now, until next time, me-

Darin: HOLD EVERYTHING!!! You didn't think you'd be ending this without me, did you?

**Kerian**: *flabbergasted* ...O_O...Wha? Wha-wha-what is th-how in the-why did-wha..wha...HOW THE HECK DID YOU GET IN HERE?!?

Darin: The back door was unlocked. That's how.

**Kerian**: WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A BACK DOOR!!!

Darin: I made one...hahahaha!

**Kerian**: *boiling mad* Why you little...!!!

Darin: ACH!! Hey, let go of me! HRRRK!! BLAGHBLAGHYEEAAARRG!!! Somebody, quick! Pull up the signature before it's...arruruuuuuurrrk!!

-Kerian and Darin


End file.
